Mahou Shoujo Keiongakubu Magica
by Themulchmeister
Summary: The carefree world of K-ON! collides with the dark world of Madoka Magica. If you have watched either series I think you will agree this is a X-over we were all waiting for! Summary inside..
1. Ep0: Dreams really do become reality

**Set during the middle of the second season of K-ON! The Ho-kago Tea Time are set for success with some great new songs. Yui notices Mio is acting stranger than usual and encounters a funny little creature named Kyuubey. Kyuubey will introduce Yui and the others into a world unlike the kind they are used to, with dark fantasy and strange evil monsters called 'witches'. Does Yui have what it takes to become a Magical Girl and save the world from the dreaded despair of Witches? Only one way to find out I guess **

**魔法少女軽音楽部マギカ**

**Mahou Shoujo Keiongakubu Magica**

夢が本当に現実になるか

It was like something out of a strange Anime...

There I was standing on the edge of a burning building, staring wide-eyed at the strangest monster I had ever seen. Its tentacles were swinging around the destroyed city like a crazy octopus. I was frozen, paralysed by fear. What was this strange thing? Why was it here in my town? What did it want with me and everyone here? I could only stand in shock at it smashed everything to pieces; the very foundations of my existence. The sky was crying as a grey shadow cast over the heavens. The giant had no eyes or mouth, it was more like some sort of giant amorphous grey blob, forged from some cheesy horror movie, cut and pasted together like a pre-schooler's collage. But its roar was magnificent in its power and subversion. I suddenly had a feeling it was looking at me with its imaginary eyes. What on earth should I do? I am going to die right here without ever accomplishing anything in my life? I never even managed to fill out my University Choice sheet.

"Somebody please save me!"

SLASH. A whirr of light brushes past my vision just before the beasts tentacle can erase me from this fallen world. Its limb falls heavily to the ground as dark purple blood oozes from the remaining stump.

I catch a glimpse of my saviour as she stabs her sword into the beasts shoulder. Long, flowing black hair. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever come across, she glides alongside the beast's back with elegance and grace. She must be an angel, sent down to this parched earth to rescue me. She turns briefly, showing me her face – a face of sadness and despair. Why would such a strong and beautiful girl bare such sadness?

"_**She might not be able to defeat this one...she may need you're help..."**_

A voice speaks inside my head. I whirl around and discover another strange creature – though much smaller, hopping over to my position. It looks kind of cute with its long rabbit like ears and fluffy squirrel like tail, but its expression never changes when it speaks. The creature stares at me with its curled feline lips and opal red eyes.

"_**If you make a contract with me right now, we can beat this witch! All you have to do is offer me a wish and that shall be granted..."**_

Wishes...Witches...Contracts...I don't get any of this critter's words. How could I possibly wish for something at a time like this?

The black-haired angel is slowing down, she is getting exhausted from her battle with the Goliath 'witch'. She produces several more swords and stabs them into her opponents shin (well if it had shins I guess it would be called that part). The beast roars – no screams in agony as it flings its tentacles towards her, throwing her a hundred metres into a building. She coughs up dust and holds her shoulder, but soon recovers, summoning a dozen or so swords from nowhere and sending them flying at the monster. She darts across the edge of the collapsing building dodging every tentacle as it slams down like a falling beam. When she reaches the corner, she leaps off the concrete platform and lands a hundred or more metres onto the next building, landing gently on her feet. She is caught off by yet another rogue tentacle and blown away into a giant grey wall. This time she struggles to reach her feel as the enormous paper-mache blob stomps slowly towards her.

"Oh my God! That poor girl's gonna die!"

The creature hops over to my right side. _**"Then you must decide...let her live or die...it's your choice...Yu-"**_

'''''

"-I! Yui! That's enough! That has to be the most ridiculous dream I've ever heard of!"

"But I swear it was all real!" Yui Hirasawa tried to convince the other members of the club.

"Well I thought it sounded like a very exciting dream." Tsumugi smiled in her warm gingerly manner as she poured everyone another piping hot cup of royal milk tea.

"It's just her imagination running wild as always" Ritsu threw her hands behind the back of her head in annoyance. She must have expected Yui to tell her a real adventure.

"Well I swear it all happened." Yui persisted. "It might be like one of those dreams where you think it's a dream but the you wake up with scar or even dead!"

"How in the hell would you wake up if you were dead?' Ritsu could not help herself but laugh at Yui's stupidity. "My-my Yui-chan whatever would we do without your crazy anecdotes?"

"Grmph." Yui pouted as she left the table, no longer interested in her tea and cake. She resumed what she and the others were supposed to be doing. Practising on their instruments. They were after all the Light Music Club – the Keiongakubu or K-ON for short.

"Alrighty, where was I?" Yui began talking to herself as she lifted her Gibson Les Paul Standard electric guitar onto her shoulder. "Let's go Gitah!" she spoke to her guitar with the name she had given it when she bought it a little over eighteen months ago.

She began strumming 'Gitah', playing some soft notes until she entered into some harder chords and began losing herself in a heavy riff, bouncing her head side to side with the careless glee of a normal schoolgirl. Soon she began losing herself into the music, playing some wilder notes and jumping on the spot until she spun around and tripped over the lead.

"I-T-T-T-T-Ta!" Yui made a strange howling noise indicating her pain as she face planted onto the wooden floorboards. The other girls laughed as they got up and helped her back to her feet.

"Settle down Yui, you really had me worried back there with that dark music." Ritsu patted her friends shoulder as she made her way to the drum-set. She crashed onto the stool and picked up her sticks, twirling them around like a fancy musician. She crossed her sticks together and yelled out. "O'right! Let's go!"

"Hai!" Mugi – who was on the keyboards and Azusa – the second year student who played rhythm guitar joined Yui who played lead as they bashed out an awesome tune. They called their little band Ho-kago Tea Time (After School Tea Time) and normally jammed together during their breaks from class. Entry exams were just around the corner and the band was fortunate to have an avenue to let off some steam.

"Hah! That was awesome!" Yui beamed with joy as did the others when they finished their song. It was almost spontaneous, they had not even practised this particular song before, yet when Ritsu started hitting her drums and Yui burst out some riffs, the other's music just flowed naturally alongside theirs, like a wild river carrying the branches of trees several miles upstream.

"Wow, that was freaking random eh?" Ritsu clapped her hands together. "Shame Mio-chan isn't around to enjoy this..."

"Speaking of...where do you think she is today?" Mugi sensed some concern at their Bassist's absence from the clubroom. "She was in class this morning but hasn't shown up to the clubroom at all."

"Maybe she knew about Yui's scary dream and was too afraid to show up." Ritsu laughed in her deviant manner. She always liked to pick on Mio-senpai, conjuring up her trivial fears about almost anything.

"Well maybe we should go and look for her? She might be upset about something." Azusa suggested as she put down her Fender Mustang guitar.

"If she's upset about something, I'll kiss her and make her feel better." Yui declared as she held her hands to her chest.

"Please spare us Yui." Ritsu shook her head. "Well anyway I suppose Azu-nyan's right." Using the affectionate nickname they gave the second-year student. We best go and find poor Mio-chan." Ritsu packed up the drum-set as the others set their instruments down as well. "She's probably stuck in a dark forest by which of course I mean the park out the back of our school." Ritsu made herself laugh again as she held her hands to her hips. "Ho-ho-ho!"

"Ricchan, you're mean!" Azusan couldn't find the humour in Ritsu's joke. She was probably the only member of the band who truly felt sorry for Mio's irrational phobias. Perhaps that was because Mio was the only one who understood Azusa's personality as well.

Ritsu clung her arms around Azusa's and Yui's shoulders."C'mon now I was only messin' around! You know I love all you guys."

"Mm." Yui nodded as she led the others in a search to find Mio-senpai.

'''''

"So have you all decided what you're gonna do next year?" Ritsu waved her head towards Yui in a stirring manner. "Hmmm...Yui-chan?"

Yui brought up her hands defensively and laughed nervously. "Etooooo...I uh, put down that I wanted to be musician, but Sensei rejected it."

"Hahaha! Yui you crack me up too much." Ritsu slapped the ditzy girl on the shoulder as they continued walking down the halls and out towards the front of the high school.

"It seems awfully strange though for Mio-senpai not to show up for band practice." Mugi raised a suspicious finger to her chin.

"I could just text her or giver her a quick call." Ritsu slapped out her mobile and started dialling her friend's number.

Ritsu held the phone close to her ear and blurted out a loud message. "Yo! Mio! We're all back at school worried about ya! Pick up okay?" She hung up and turned back to the others. "No answer huh?"

"This is troublesome." Mugi sensed something odd about Mio's absence, especially since she was normally the most enthusiastic of all the club members.

Yui made a fuzzy smile and hopped in front of the others. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure Mio-chan's alright. I'll stop by her house later and make sure she's feeling okay."

"Arigato Yui-chan." Mugi sighed with relief.

"Well let's call it a day and head home." Ritsu pounded a fist to her chest in a manner of leader's pride.

"Sure thing President!" Mugi nodded. Her thick brown eyebrows lowered as she made her farewell.

"Roger!" Yui saluted like an private soldier as she marched out of the school's premises.

"Goodbye Ricchan." Azusa still showed signs of concern as she averted her gaze. Her black pigtails seemed to slump as she left.

Ritsu was now left alone, contemplating Mio's situation. They had known each other since pre-school, she should know all about Mio's whereabouts. _Jeez Mio now I really am worried about you too._

'''''

"Hmm-Hmm-Hmm-Hmm Hmmm Hmmmm Hmm-Hmm-Hmm-Hmm Hmmmmm...Hel-lo there tur-tle...Mr Tur-tle...Noth-ing moves as slow as you...Why oh why are you so slooow?" Yui sang the Turtle Song for the forty-eighth time during her calm walk home. The sun was descending from the horizon and a mellow orange haze painted the sky. As she reached the railway crossing she noticed a schoolgirl with long black hair standing by the other side. She seemed to be in a melancholic mood.

"No way...could she be..." Yui rubbed her eyes to get another view but the boom gates came down and the eerie siren blared its own chorus as the train zipped past. When the boom-gates rose again Yui was relieved when she realised who it was.

"Mio-chan! How's it going?"

Mio's face suddenly changed to surprise when she noticed Yui at the other side. "Oh, it's you...I'm fine thanks." Her tone suggested otherwise.

"Hey Mio-chan, the others were worried about you. How come you didn't show up for practice today?" Yui crossed the rails and leant a comforting hand on Mio's shoulder.

"Oh..." Mio averted her gaze. "It's nothing really..."

"You missed out on this awesome story I told the others today." Yui offered her usual Genki mood. "I had this freaky dream last night and this crazy monster was destroying the city and then this white squirrel shows up and-"

Mio grabbed Yui's shoulders and faced her with alarming eyes. "Please Yui! Don't tell me anymore! Just forget about it okay! I know what you're like anyway, coming up with strange tales. Just let it go!"

Yui was startled by Mio's sudden outburst but nodded reluctantly. "Okay Mio just take it easy, it was only a dream, it wasn't like any of it really meant anything anyway..."

Mio loosened her grip and let her arms sway by their sides. "Gomenasai...I shouldn't have yelled at you like that...I've just been having a rough day that's all." Mio's long hair covered her face like a dark veil. "See you and the others tomorrow okay." Mio brushed past Yui as she left the other way, there was no heart in her goodbyes. Yui was confused more than anything else but decided not to follow it up and continued her way back home.

'''''

"Yui! Dinner!" Yui's reliable younger sister Ui yelled across the small house. Yui dived into the room, digging into her meal instantly.

"Oishii! You're dinners are so wonderful sis'." Yui filled her mouth with an assortment of edible goods. It didn't really matter what her little sister served up, as long as it filled up Yui's stomach she was happy every time.

"Onee-chan will get indigestion if she keeps that up." Ui laughed softly. "So how is the band going?"

Yui stopped stuffing her face for a moment and emptied her mouth to speak. "Well it was pretty quiet today, Mio wasn't there and it was kinda sad being there without her."

Ui frowned. "That does sound awfully strange of Mio. Is she alright? I hope she's not ill?" Ui's motherly nature carried over.

"Not really...I saw her for a little while after school, but she did seem a little ordinary..." Yui decided not to tell her sister about Mio's strange outburst, it didn't seem like a nice thing to bring up for dinner. "but that's Mio-chan for you..." Yui laughed it off as she took a sip of water.

Ui clasped her hands together. "Well as long as she's fine then I'm fine. I better wash up now." Ui smiled warmly as she went back into the kitchen.

Yui fell back from her futon onto the carpet. She stretched out her hands and reached for the ceiling, pushing her hands in the way of the light. _I hope sis' is right._

'''''

Nightfall came and Yui relaxed in her room. She was safe in this fluffy paradise of wall posters and stuffed animals. All her day's troubles could be dissolved in this tiny piece of Nirvana. After practising a few more chords on Gitah and doing some 'light reading' she finally decided it was a night and turned off the lights.

The eccentric, bouncy and cheerful Yui slipped under the blankets and and sighed with pure happiness as she sunk into her bed for a pleasant night of happy dreams – well she hoped it would be anything other than the one she experienced last night.

Yui struggled to enter her sleep. She had too many thoughts buzzing through her mind. The University Choices, Final exams, the band and of course Mio. But what could she possibly do right now asleep in her room? Even though it was pointless to dwell on such things they remained hovering in her mind like pesky bugs. She had to distract herself by focusing on something else. She opened her eyes and scanned the room for something that would put her mind at ease. Something like...

"Ah..." She whispered to herself. "I never noticed you before." referring to one of the stuffed animals strewn on the floor. It's beady red eyes glared infinitely at the imaginative teenager.

"_**Good evening Yui Hirasawa." **_The stuffed toy communicated to her telepathically.

_No way I must be dreaming now!_

"_**Of course not! I am in existence right here and now..."**_

_Wow...this is a wicked dream..and it feels so real too._

"_**You're not dreaming you idiot! I can test this theory if you want but it might hurt."**_

_No I'll just go along with it for now._

The creature leapt onto the window, showing off its silhouette against the moonlight_**. "Miss Hirasawa, you really are an interesting girl, you have great potential and much to learn, I look forward to meeting you again sometime."**_ And with those final mystery words the strange creature vanished. Yui believed she was really dreaming this time, however little did she know that the little albino creature, who she would soon know as Kyuubey, would transform her life and the life of her friends forever...

* * *

><p><em><strong>A strange encounter with a creature out of this world. What could this creature possibly want with an airhead like Yui? Find out in the next intriguing chapter!<strong>_


	2. Ep1: The dark angel has descended

**For those few who have been eagerly following this story, I am reuploading all the chapters as I've gone over and given them a quick edit. The main thing I've changed is that I've removed some of the uneccessary gratuitous Japanese which a few people mentioned detracted from the story (I realise now that experiment has failed). So the story should flow more smoothly now. I'm still keeping the chapter titles in Japanese though (but they will be written in English on the scroll tab anyway). So now enjoy the redone version of chapter 2!**

暗闇天使が降りてきた

"_**Miss Hirasawa, you really are an interesting girl, you have great potential and much to learn, I look forward to meeting you again sometime."**_

"YAWN. Another strange dream..." Yui stretched when she woke up. Her brown hair was in a frizzy states as usual, she hobbled over to the bathroom to to whatever she could to make it look somewhat decent for the public to see.

"GARRRR." Yui rinsed her mouth at the basin and and splashed her face to freshen herself out of sleep mode. When she was done she reached for the towel rack and dried her face before placing her two yellow clips in her hair. When she glanced into the mirror she swore she could see that strange creature standing at the edge of the doorway. She spun 180 degrees and tried to catch the critter but it wasn't there. Her rather confused little sister was standing in its place.

"Um...Onee-san...Are you feeling alright?

Yui jumped back, releasing her colossal grip on her sister and giggled embarrassingly. "I thought you were a bug or something?" She messed up her hair as she smiled nervously back at her intelligent sister.

"I see, well breakfast is ready, we'll be late if we don't hurry." Ui squirmed past her sister to reach the basin. "See you downstairs."

"Hai." Yui nodded before sprinting to the kitchen. The table was set, two pieces of warm buttered toast with a fried egg draped on top were waiting for her as well as a glass of orange juice. Yui crunched into her meal as she anticipated another wonderful day with the gang at the Light Music Club.

Yui could hear the television in the corner of the room. Ui had left the morning news on by accident. She was about to change the channel when a picture of a taped off area appeared in the screen.

_#The woman, believed to be in her early 20s is believed to have died instantly when she fell from the ten storey building. This has now been confirmed as the fourth suicide in the last fortnight.#_

"How sad." Yui expressed her sympathy at the unknown woman who had taken her own life. However even such hard news was not going to break her vibrant spirit.

"Sorry, let me change the channel." Ui came down with her uniform worn neatly. "I forgot you watch the cartoons before we leave."

"No-no..." Yui waved her hand casually. "I don't mind..."

Ui studied the news story for a moment and sighed. "How horrible for someone to end their own life in such a way." Ui reacted just like any other motherly person would: dismay that someone could possibly harbour such despair that they would make that ultimate decision.

"I should really pay more attention to the world around me eh?" Yui tried to lighten the mood.

Ui left the TV and began packing her bag. "Well we better be leaving soon."

Yui finished her toast and gulped down the last of her juice. "Pwah! Alrighty let's go."

'''''

After getting changed into the same uniform as her sister. Yui caught up with her younger sibling as she reached the front gate. The sky bore a peaceful image as the sun crept into view, only slightly obscured by a few friendly clouds.

"So what do you think the band will be up to today?" Ui was always interested in her sisters club activities.

"Dunno, but I hope Mugi brings some more nice cakes for us." Yui offered a carefree smile.

"It's any wonder you guys have any time to practise with all the tea and cakes you eat." Ui laughed.

Yui spotted someone over at the next block. "Hey it's Mugi! I better catch up with her. Ja ne!" Yui waved goodbye to her sister as she rushed over to Mugi.

"Hi Yui, I'm glad to see you." Mugi smiled. Her thick eyebrows wiggling in delight.

"Me too Mugi-chan." Yui had to catch her breath after her brief Olympic sprint. "I saw Mio-chan after school yesterday."

"Oh I see. And how was she?" Mugi spoke in her formal manner.

"I think she was having a bad day and left early." Yui never mentioned the odd behaviour Mio exhibited that day. "I believe she will come today though."

"You really think so?" Mugi held her hands together in hope.

"I know if she doesn't, I get to eat her cake."

Mugi laughed at Yui's remark. "I brought choc-orange with me today." Mugi pulled out a box from her bag and showed Yui the gorgeous treat. The brown-haired girl was already drooling on the box. "No Yui, that's bad!" Mugi scolded her as if she were a pet dog.

"Sorry Mugi-chan." Yui squeezed her lips when she pouted.

When the two of them arrived at the school gates Ritsu and Mio were already waiting for them. "Yo Mugi-chan, Yui-chan take all day why doncha!" Ritsu had to make her attention-grabbing greeting as always.

"Hey Ricchan." Yui bowed in front of her equally eccentric friend. She then found Mio standing next to Ritsu. "Hi Mio-chan, how are you today?"

"Hi, I'm fine thanks." Mio still seemed a little tense from yesterday but Yui hoped she would lose all that tension once they picked up their instruments and played their thrilling music.

"Where's Azu-nyan?" Yui scanned the area with her hand on her forehead.

"She's in the class, she said she'd meet us in the clubroom later." Ritsu led the way into the school building.

'''''

"We're glad you're here Mio-chan. You had us all worried about you yesterday." Mugi poured the dark-haired girl a fresh cup of piping hot tea.

"Sorry about that. Something came up and I had to leave without telling you guys." Mio seemed guilty about leaving her friends behind yesterday.

Ritsu's voice came from behind Mio. "Yeah if you were here yesterday I could have done this." She lowered a toy spider down on Mio's shoulder. Everyone else knew Ritsu was probably going to make Mio leave again and it was shown in their disapproving glares.

However Mio's reaction was quite surprising. Instead of shrieking and curling into a ball like she would normally do, she just looked at the spider and sighed. "That old one again eh?" Before she swatted the spider off her shoulder.

Ritsu was disappointed that her trick didn't work. "Someone need a recall for a defective Mio-chan?"

"Ricchan! Stop being so mean!" Mugi tried to intervene.

Ritsu crossed her arms and made an odd grunting noise. "It's no fun if Mio doesn't crap her pants anymore, I may as well start warming up the drums." Ritsu walked over to her drum-set and started making a few beats whilst the others remained at the table.

"Are you sure your okay Mio?" Mugi leaned her head forward for a closer inspection of her friend.

"I'm telling you all I'm fine, let's just practise already and forget about it." At least Mio seemed to have preserved her stubbornness. She walked over and picked up her Fender Bass before playing along to Ritsu's thumping beat

"We should probably join them too Yui." Mugi finally reached for her trusted keyboard and Yui hauled herself away from the sweets to help lead the band with her guitar. Their tiffs seemed to be forgotten in their harmonious melody. Ritsu finished the song with a flashy solo, impressing everyone else.

Ritsu clapped with enthusiasm. "Sugoi Yui! Sugoi! Sugoi!"

"It looks like we came up with another piece of magic." Mugi commented about their impulsive new song.

"Yeah, it just feels right every time I pick up Gitah." Yui stroked the body of her prized guitar. "It's as if the music were speaking to me."

"There you go in daydream mode again." Ritsu chuckled.

"Ano Sumimasen." A quiet voice came from the door. It was Azusa. "Sorry I'm late I just-"

"**BLAAEERRGGHH!**"

"AAGGHH!" Azusa leapt off the ground in fright. Thankfully it was only the club's advisor and Yui's teacher, Sawako Yamanaka.

"Hahaha!" The normally kind-natured teacher seemed to enjoy laughing at others expense – perhaps Ritsu had rubbed a few of her bad habits onto Sensei since forming the club. "Oh I thought you were Mio-chan, never mind then."

"You're worse than Ritsu Sawa-chan." Yui commented as the quirky teacher made her entrance. Though her small stature, modest clothes, large round glasses and beautifully kept long brown hair made her appear as a model teacher, you shouldn't be fooled. She was once a wild-chick in a rock band. Since becoming a teacher she has always tried to hide her past character, it is only when she's with the girls of the K-ON club that she can really show some of her true nature.

"Oh thanks Mugi, you've left the rest of the cake for me I assume?" Sawa-sensei had a twinkle in the corner of her glasses as she sat by the table.

"You should hear what we just come up with." Yui said. "We just randomly came up with a killer tune. Here listen to this!"

"Fine then, show me already." Sawa-sensei crossed her legs waiting for the girls to unleash their talent.

"Etoooooo..." Yui hovered her plectrum around the guitar. "Does anyone remember how it went?"

"For cryin' out loud Yui!" Ritsu cursed, even though she too had forgotten the tune.

"Why don't we just make a new song on the spot like we did before?" Mugi kindly suggested.

"Great idea, now that Asu-nyan's here we can all play together!" Yui led the band with a slow riff, building up some tension with a few higher chords and notes before Mio and Azusa backed up her rhythm with some quick picking.

"Alright I think I see where this is going." Ritsu came in with her drums, smashing the cymbals and bashing the bass drum. It was such a heavy sound, Sawa-sensei couldn't believe it. It might have even put her old band Death Devil to shame.

Yui kept going for one last solo whilst Ritsu clanged around the tom-drums to add to the finale. The song only lasted a few minutes but the girls looked like they had just run track-and-field for half an hour. Yui drooped her shoulders trying to catch her breath when she finished. "So...Sensei...What...Do you...Think?"

The teacher remained frozen like a cute statue for a moment before lifting off her glasses slowly and uncrossing her legs. Ritsu held her teeth, worried about Sensei's reaction. "It was...********* Brutal!**"

"Sensei did you really say that?" Mugi was shocked by her teacher's reaction.

"I've never heard such passion from your band before. This is better than the crap I've had to sit through at clubs on a Friday night. If you can play like that at the MADD night tomorrow...Glllarrggghhhh..." Sensei suddenly couldn't stop salivating at the thought.

"Oh no Sensei hang on!" Mugi rushed over thinking her teacher was about to die. Yui and the others were stoked. Even Mio had to leave her melancholy behind for a moment just to feel excited about tomorrow night. It had only dawned upon them then that there was in fact a Music, Art, Dance and Drama event on tomorrow night, and Ho-kago Tea Time were going to be the final act of the night. The senior members of the band had been too distracted by exams and University options to have bothered coming up with a specific song for their act. But if they could muster up a song like that once more...They would become school legends!

'''''

Nightfall was approaching and the K-ON club finally finished their practise for the day. They tried writing down a few of the notes of the song and kept playing some of the pieces over and over again. They couldn't seem to get enough of the sound they were making. In fact they might have stayed all night if Sawa-sensei hadn't finally come fuming into the clubroom demanding that they go home.

"**SCRAM!"**

'''''

"That was awesome guys, make sure you practise all night so we can do some final rehearsals tomorrow." Ritsu waved to the others as if she were about to leave, but before she left she jumped on Mio and gave her an unwanted hug. "I love you Mio-chan, don't ever jump ship on us again sweety."

"Yame! That's enough already." Mio struggled to break free from Ritsu's gorrilla grip. "And that pirate talk is giving everyone the creeps."

"Y'know I'm just Joshin' with ya!" Ritsu gave a wink as she let go of her best friend. "Okay Ja na!"

"See ya Ricchan!" Yui waved goodbye as the others remained at the school gate.

Mio stood with the others for a few awkward minutes before she made her way home as well. "Well I better get back home as well. See you guys tomorrow."

Yep, see ya Mio-senpai." Azusa called out before she left on her own path back home. This left just Mugi and Yui left.

"Well should we start making our way back home Yui?"

"Mm. I never knew you went the same way as me." Yui beamed.

"Well only for a little while I guess." Mugi shied away from the remark.

The two rather opposite characters walked along the quiet streets for some time before Mugi reached the steps of the station. "Well I'll see you tomorrow Yui."

"Mm. See you tomorrow." Yui hopped off the step and began skipping rather innocently on her way home. Despite the darkness, Yui wasn't scared of anything – or rather she was oblivious to any possible threats that could possibly present themselves when the sun's asleep.

Yui took a slightly longer route home than usual. Her inquisitive native meant she felt like a brief wander before heading home. The city seemed so much more alive at night, even if there were noticeably less people around. She gazed at the array of concrete towers and neon sprites as she wandered around the city. Soon she found herself back in a quiet street. It wasn't long before she felt like she was being followed by someone.

"Who's there?" She turned around but was surprised to find noone on her tail. Perhaps she was just getting a bit hasty since it was getting late. She'd have to get back soon though she thought, Ui must be waiting for her and besides, nobody wants a cold dinner!

"Doo-dee-doo-diddly-doo" Yui started singing to herself to lighten the mood. She turned another corner and found herself facing the opposite of an old warehouse. But who was that girl standing outside the cracked doors. She looked eerily familiar with that blue blazer on, she must have gone to Yui's school.

_She's one of my classmates but what is she doing near a place like this?_

"Then again what am _I _doing near a place like this?" Yui knocked her head to get back some sense. "No this is serious, she could find herself in trouble if I don't say something to her."

The fellow student was about to enter the building when Yui ran over to her side. "Hi there, are you lost by any chance?" she received only silence in response. The girl continued to advance toward the old warehouse as if Yui were a mere ghost. "Hey why do want to go in there it's scary you know." Still facing no response Yui blocked the girl's path. "What's wrong with you? Why are you trying to get in here?" She was horrified by the girl's zombie like expression. The girl just budged her way through Yui as she entered the dark and mysterious building.

_What the hell was that look? I need to help or she might hurt herself._

The ever curious Yui plunged herself into the dark building, but it was nothing like she had expected. She literally plunged herself into another strange world – not unlike the world she experienced in that dream the other night. She was surrounded by an infinite array of windows – everywhere! Even the roof and floor were made entirely of old and new looking windows. They each peered into another room of windows. Yui was cautious with each step but was in awe at this abstract world.

"Wow! What a cool warehouse, I can see why she wanted to come in here...speaking of." Yui called out for the girl, she must be somewhere in this strange place. Yui opened a window beneath her feet and floated down into another room of windows. However in this room some of the windows were opening and closing on their own, like chomping alligator jaws. Yui received a fright when she noticed one of the windows snarling by her feet.

"KYAH" She jumped into the air which seemed quite 'Fua Fua' like her song with the same name. The other chomping windows started to rise from the floor and advance towards Yui. The once trivial everyday intimidate object was now greeting Yui with great hostility. Yui's bright smile had finally faded and fear had taken over as she let out a shrill scream.

"Somebody help me!"

At once, all of the windows smashed in a dazzling display. For a spilt second Yui swore she could see an outline of that creature being reflected through the billions of microscopic mirrors. The glass blew across the room like shimmering snowflakes as the room returned to normality. Yui found herself back in the warehouse and it no surprise that she felt quite confused. A gaping hole in the roof provided the only source of light; Yui saw the girl from before, lying unconscious on the ground. She was bleeding from a few scratches on her face and her shirt had a few tears but otherwise it didn't appear serious. As Yui crept towards her another girl appeared from the darkness and lifted the injured girl up. A veil of long dark hair covered the injured girl and in an instant the injuries seemingly vanished. Yui was gobsmacked at what she was seeing. It was that girl from her dreams again. The dark angel appeared to be looking at Yui with grey-blue eyes before she leapt out of the whole in the ceiling, vanishing just as quick as she had entered.

Though it was only an instant, Yui was sure now who the girl from her dreams was. She was sure that the girl she had just seen swoop out of nowhere and rescue herself and the other girl was none other than the shy, timid, sometimes clumsy but ever so well-disciplined Mio Akiyama.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yui uncovers the cause for Mio's strange behaviour. What kind of strange world has Yui discovered for herself now? Don't miss the next exciting chapter!<strong>_


	3. Ep2: A moment that lasts forever

**5000 words this time. I admit this chapter is particularly long but there is a fundamental significance to the structure of these chapters. By the way this chapter has a number of shout outs to the PMMM/MSMM series. Though the next chapter is the fourth it is listed as the 3rd for a good reason (late arrival spoilers for those who haven't seen PMMM/MSMM). **

永遠に続く時点

"WAH!" Yui propped herself out of bed. "Wait a minute..." She found herself back in her bedroom. Time seemed to have skipped from the warehouse scene to the next morning.

"A dream?" Yui pondered as she lifted herself out of bed. Perhaps it was just another strange dream. But suddenly a thought snapped through her mind and she quickly lifted up her pyjama shirt, checking over for any scars – that would prove it was real...right?

"None." Yui seemed somewhat disappointed that what happens in _Friday the 13__th_ doesn't necessarily reflect real life. She trudged over to the bathroom and washed her face as usual, confident that she may be going insane.

"Ohayou Onee-chan." Ui was already up and ready for school. She sat by the kitchen table with an empty plate.

"Ohayou Ui-chan." Yui's 'Good Morning' seemed a bit drowsy as she sat by her now cold breakfast.

"I can heat that up for you if you like." Ui kindly offered.

"Iie...Iie...I'm fine with this." Yui dug into her French Toast as she watched the TV.

"Gomen. I left the news on again didn't I." Ui was about to change the channel when-

"Wait!" Yui leapt off her seat and pressed her face to the TV. An image of an old warehouse appeared on screen. The building's roof had collapsed and police were seen standing around pools of blood.

_#...Police are investigating the scene and wish to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the attack last night...#_

"I'm surprised that you've suddenly become so keen on the news." Ui observed her older sisters unusual behaviour.

"So it did happen. I'm not crazy after all, MWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Yui burst into some mad laughter before doing a strange twirl and heading out the front door. "Wait till I see Mio."

Just as she was about to leave Ui called her older sister back. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Are?" Yui looked around puzzled until she noticed she was still wearing her pyjamas. "Hehe, I guess I would've looked a little embarrassing like this now eh?"

'''''

Yui was recalling last nights events repeatedly through her head.

_All those weird mirrors. _Forgetting that they were actually windows. _Is this what Mio meant when she had a 'bad day' the other day? What if she has been through these kind of worlds before?_

"Ohayou gozaimasu Yui-chan." Mugi met up with Yui at the end of the train station.

"Ohayou Mugi-chan." Yui's thoughts were muddled up again.

"The weather were having today is wonderful wouldn't you agree?" Mugi smiled as warmly as the sun itself.

"Yes it is wonderful today..." Yui trailed off for a moment.

"Is something the matter Yui-chan?"

"I'm not sure...but..." Yui trailed into space again. "I think Mio might be doing something after school we don't know about."

Mugi seemed shocked by that statement. "Oh, and what might make you say that?"

"Well I saw her in this old warehouse last night and..." Yui had to bite her tongue at the sheer stupidity of what she was propositioning. "No...Never mind its nothing..."

Mugi made a concerned sigh. "I think we should maybe have a chat with Mio later."

Yui crossed her hands in a comical manner and shook her head. "Iie...Iie...That won't be necessary don't worry 'bout it. Just forget I said anything okay. It was probably just another weird dream okay."

"Hmm...You can be a very crazy girl sometimes Yui-chan." Mugi said affectionately.

Yui scratched her head. "Hehehe...I get that a lot don't I." Suddenly Yui went off on another tangent when she yelled out at something. "Oh! Look! Look!"

The strange albino 'squirrel' had crossed Yui's path. And was staring at both Mugi and Yui (though it was really hard to tell since it had no pupils). "Mugi-chan do see that little dog." Apparently Yui now regarded the creature as a 'dog'. "That was the thing in my dream that night."

"Yui-chan..." Mugi seemed worried. "What are you talking about?"

"Huh? But it is right..." The next time Yui looked down the creature (or 'dog/squirrel' whatever) was gone. "Where did it go?"

"HmHmHmHm." Mugi laughed in a very cute manner. "You're so wonderful Yui-chan, come on let's go to school now."

'''''

"Took you two long enough." Ritsu seemed annoyed at Yui and Mugi's lateness to the clubroom. "It's not like we need to rehearse or anything."

"Please excuse our lateness." Mugi walked over to her keyboard. "We should run over that first song again."

Yui picked up 'Gitah'. She only saw Mio through her periphery. She was too afraid to meet her directly in the eye. What if she really was an alien, a time traveller of an ESPER (no wait...what's this show called again?). Yui warmed up her fingers with a few random notes before they started.

/DA-D-Da-Da-Dun-Dun-Da-Da-DA-D-D-D-D-D-D-Da...Or something like that.../

"Y'know what this song needs." Ritsu recommended. "Some lyrics."

"Sou-Sou." Mugi agreed. "It's a great song but we would look awkward on stage without some vocals to support."

Ritsu craned her neck towards the Bassist. "Mio? You're an expert in this field, have you got anything for us."

Mio hid her gaze. "Not yet. I'll think of something later."

Ritsu cleared her throat and spoke as if she were the Prime Minister of Japan. "Well as president of the Light Music Club I hereby decree that Mio our trusted and most respected Bassist will be allocated the task of producing some fitting lyrics for our new song entitled..."

"..."

Ritsu squeezed her two index fingers together. "Mio could you please give us a title for our song as well please..."

"Geez, for President your very disorganised Ritsu." Mio regarded.

"What was that?" Ritsu raised her 'fangs' and pounced on Mio. Mio uttered a tiny squeal before leaving one of her trademark mounds on Ritsu's head.

"If you were a bloke you'd probably be in jail right now." Mio huffed.

"Owww...Now I'll probably forget something important about my life." Ritsu started mock-crying.

"Yui-senpai." Azusa finally spoke her first word of the day. "What about you? Do you think you could make some lyrics for this song?"

Yui smiled nervously and ran her hands through her mopped hair. "I don't think my kind of lyrics could suit this song anyway."

"But you're the one who inspired us to write this song. If you hadn't picked up that guitar and started that heavy tune, we wouldn't have come up with such a powerful song."

Yui laughed nervously. "Well you see I...I just played from my heart I guess."

Mugi sighed happily. "That's wonderful to hear from Yui-chan."

"Well maybe if you come up some lyrics from your heart then they'll match the song right?" Azusa persisted. Though she was sometimes bugged by Yui's flower-child behaviour, she admired her the most of any other member of the band.

"Well make sure you've come up with something by tonight. The performance starts at 7 and our act is at 8.50." Ritsu packed up her equipment ready for class to resume.

"Roger! I'll do my best!" Yui declared, even though she had no clue what she was going to write.

'''''

Lunchtime couldn't come any quicker for Yui-chan. She had spent the whole lesson scribbling down some makeshift lyrics for her song. By that of course she had come up with a mish-mash of different phrases (and even copied lyrics from her favourite songs). Yui had found herself an empty table in the cafeteria and claimed the spot while she waited for the others.

"Ah Hey Azu-nyan." Yui spotted the younger member of the band with a tray of fresh curry.

"Hi Yui-Senpai, how was class?" Azusa took her spot across from Yui.

"Meh, I suppose..." Yui sighed. "where are the others?"

"I walked passed them as they were heading to the clubroom. They said they'd rather skip lunch and rehearse instead."

"Oh..." Yui nodded. "So why are you here?"

"Well I..." Azusa showed signs of blushing. "I was worried you might feel left out if you were eating by yourself."

"Awww...You're so kind Azu-nyan."

"Hey Yui, shouldn't you be helping out your band?" Another familiar voice came by the table. It was none other than Yui's childhood friend and President of the Student Council Nodoka Manabe.

"Hi Nodoka-chan." Yui greeted her with the same affection she gave to the other band members.

"I hear your band is performing the last act tonight. I look forward to it." Nodoka quickly adjusted her red spectacles.

"It should be awesome. I've written some lyrics and everything." Yui rustled through her pockets and found a scrunched up piece of notepad paper. Most of the words had been smudged out or drawn over. "Well it was a draft anyway so..." Yui laughed as she tossed the paper into a conveniently placed bin.

"I'm sure it will be great. See you all later tonight then." Nodoka waved goodbye as she left to perform council duties.

"You've known Nodoka since pre-school right?" Azusa leaned on the table.

"Yeah, but we both seem to have taken different paths in our school-life..." Yui gazed out the window and let out a long sigh. "This is our final big performance before the end of the year. Then it's off to the rest of our lives for us seniors." Yui seemed surprisingly reflective all of a sudden. "This may well be the final time the five of us get to perform together..." Yui noticed tears welling up in Azusa's tiny eyes. "Are you...?"

"Please Senpai don't say such things, I know the band will live on forever even after you all graduate." Yui dabbed the young teenage girl's face with a napkin.

"Don't cry, Azu-nyan." Yui's relieving words seemed to work a treat on the girl who strongly admired Yui to the point of always addressing her with 'senpai'.

"Arigato, Yui-senpai."

That heart-warming moment was cut short when Yui suddenly poked her head out the window. "Oh I have you now you little rabbit." Yui was most likely referring to the creature from her dreams but it was hard to keep up with the list of animals she thought it could be.

"Yui-Sen...pai?" Azusa poked her head out too but wasn't sure where she should be looking.

Azusa felt a hand push on the top of her head. "Mite, Mite!" Yui's voice had a hint of urgency as she pointed around the corner outside the building. "Right!" She jumped out of the window which would possibly qualify for a Hollywood action sequence and grabbed Azusa's hand, dragging her out as well.

"Uwah!" Azusa was being dragged into Yui's wild pursuit of an animal or thing that may not even exist. "Yui, what's this all about?"

"Just follow me and watch. Then I'll show Mugi and the others I'm not crazy." She tugged hard on Azusa's hand as she took her through the playground. With no obvious trails to follow Yui seemed to be running all over the place with no clear direction.

"Could you please explain this to me?" Azusa felt exhausted after sprinting around the school grounds for ten solid minutes.

"There's a weird ferret thing I want to show you. It speaks to me in my head and tells me strange stories." Yui couldn't have been more serious with her words at that point. Her determination was beginning to freak Azusa out so the young girl with pigtails finally pulled away from Yui.

"This is creeping me out. Unless you can show him to me right now I'm going back to the clubroom.

CREAK. Yui heard the doors to the baseball shed opening. She saw a thick tail wagging at the entrance. "Over there. Come this way." Yui ran over and Azusa followed; probably now keen to see this through. The two girls entered the sheds and scanned the rows of iron bats, mittens, balls and other equipment. But there was definitely one thing in the room which didn't belong. Something moving, something white and furry.

"_**I see you've found me Miss Hirasawa."**_The animal spoke in its own special way.

"Do you see it now?" Yui pushed Azusa forward just to make sure she got a good look at the fascinating creature.

"Yes I see it." Azusa's answer gave Yui some relief. Now she just had to work out what this thing was and what it actually wanted.

"Now you better start answering some questions for us buddy or else." Yui's detective mode had unwound the high tension that had already built up before. "First question: are you a squirrel, a dog, a rabbit, a ferret or a snake." The last option seemed the least likely.

"Yui what are you doing it can't speak to-"

"_**You're inquisitive nature intrigues me...You may call me Kyuubey."**_

"So your a Kyuubey huh?" Yui flipped her imaginary notebook and scribbled something with an invisible pen. "Next question: what is your favourite food – if I need to feed you something I'll need to know any allergies you Kyuubeys might have."

"Senpai!" Azusa tried to shake Yui back into the appropriate mood. "This creature just spoke to me in my mind too. Ask him what he wants with us."

Yui threw down her hands and tried to remain serious for at least another minute. "Okay now let me ask you...Kyuubey...Why have you been stalking me for the last few days and what do you want with me?"

Kyuubey's head tilted to the side, which might have been cute if it didn't have such a frozen cat-like expression on its face. _**"I would like to request you and your friend's help, I have been roaming around this town for six months searching for you and now that I've found you I can finally ask you...Miss Hirasawa...Will you-"**_

One of the bat's leaning against the wall suddenly rose from it's perch and flung itself at the rodent. The animal hopped to the side before the bat could connect – leaving a large hole in the wooden shed.

"What was that?" Yui and Azusa were shitting bricks to put it as kindly as possible as they tried to find the bat wielder. Another two bats flew over and shot towards the animal before Kyuubey finally made a sensible retreat.

"_**Please excuse me girls...I will surely meet you both again sometime."**_

Yui and Azusa both shared uneasy glances. "We should probably tell the others about this."

'''''

"Yo! Yui and Azu-nyan, what took you guys so long?" Ritsu was energised after another hard session on the drums.

"We came across some trouble." Azusa shuffled her feet on the floor.

"Hey where's Mio?" Yui noticed the Bassists absence again.

"Oh Mio-chan said she had to go to the bathroom for a minute." Mugi explained. "I think we're almost ready for tonight."

"I'm back everyone." Mio calmly slithered through the doorway, weaving past Yui and Azusa.

"Hey Mio guess what I just sa-MPHH!" Azusa quickly covered her mentor's mouth with her hands.

"Hahaha! Yui's saw something really disgusting in the playground." Azusa joked around nervously. "Now-now Senpai you know these things scare Mio-chan."

_Why is she covering my mouth? I thought we were going to tell them? _Yui expressed her frustration through her thoughts.

"Because I think we should save that for later." Azusa spoke out loud in response to Yui's thoughts. _Wait a minute did I just read your mind?_

_Hold on a sec...Okay what am I thinking of now...Skull..._

"Tee-hee where did you get that from?" Azusa laughed out loud. By now the other band member were converging on the strange couple.

Ritsu inquired into the pigtial-girl"Azusa...Have you got AIDS?"

"You idiot don't you mean ADD?" Mio scolded Ritsu with a hard slap on the back of the head.

"Same thing aren't they?" Ritsu rubbed her head. "Well you both are acting kinda weird, even Yui seems to be going further than usual."

"They're probably just excited about tonight's performance." Mugi tried to alleviate the situation by pouring out some more tea.

"Never-mind." Ritsu moved on. "So have either of you come up with some hot lyrics yet?"

"Oh I did but..." Yui scrambled through her pockets for that piece of paper. "Shimatta! That's right I threw it away hehe."

"Baka..." Ritsu pinched her nose. "Well how about you Mio-chan?"

"Well I uh..." Mio hid her face under a forest of black hair.

"Well we're screwed now...Looks like were just gonna have to do an instrumental." Ritsu picked up her bag. "I've got to leave early so I can get ready for tonight. Maybe Yui and Mio should work something out before we meet here tonight okay." For once Ritsu seemed serious about something. Maybe she really couldn't stand to imagine failure tonight. This was their last big shot before graduation and they wanted to leave with a bang. Ritsu may not have forgiven the others if they brought her and the band down.

"Well shall we have some tea?" Mugi calmly changed the subject.

The four of them sat down and reached for their piping hot drink. Mugi started the conversation running "So I heard you two saw something in the playground earlier, what was it?"

Azusa tried to interject. "Oh you really don't wanna hear-"

"We saw a strange white animal in the baseball sheds with tiny red eyes and marking and a thick white tail and paws and cat lips and it spoke telepathically- I mean telepathically and it told us it's name was Kyuubey and then all of a sudden the bats were flying and it was really scary wasn't it Azu-nyan." Yui finally took a breath after that long disjointed sentence.

SLAM. Mio threw her hands on the table and rose from her seat. "Excuse me but I have to go home early as well." And with that completely out of ordinary reaction Mio left the clubroom.

Mugi was left with the two girls who saw Kyuubey. Yui was worried Mugi might think both of them were insane as well. "So Kyuubey has finally made contact with you two?"

"Wait you already know about him?" Azusa was amazed by Mugi's cool reaction.

"Of course. He is after all..." Mugi bit her finger softly a sign of nerves not normally shown by the blonde girl. "We should save this discussion until after tonight." Mugi's charming smile returned. "We should focus on having a fun time tonight wouldn't you agree?"

'''''

The hours seemed to fly by as the After School Tea Time gathered together backstage. Ritsu was the first to arrive and had been setting up for an hour before Mugi arrived and helped out where she could. They both wore loud clothes for their song. Ritsu wore black jeans and a black shirt with purple stripes and scribble as well as green eye-liner. Mugi wore her hair into what could only be described as some killer coils; yet her clothes resembled something more like a rich French lady complete with barrette, a white puffy shouldered dress and brown corset stockings and skirt.

Just as the night drew to a close, Yui and Azusa arrived - both at the same time. Azusa decided to have dinner at Yui's house since she was still a little scared about today's events. They couldn't top the other two girls outfits though, opting for more casual dark clothes and skirts.

"I didn't know we were cosplaying?" Yui said as she observed Mugi's unique clothes. "Mugi-chan's clothes look cute."

Mugi smiled as she held a hand to her mouth like a real lady. "Oh please, this was just something I had stowed away in the back of my wardrobe."

"You must have one of every dress in the world Mugi-chan." Yui thought as she noticed the others preparing. "Mio-chan hasn't showed up yet."

Ritsu dropped an amp on her thumb and cursed loudly. "Dammit if she doesn't arrive soon we'll just have to play without her."

"But we can't perform without Mio." Azusa pleaded with the angry drummer. "The five of us share an integral part of the band, if one of us can't play then I think its only fair that we-"

"Cancel? Is that what you were gonna say Azusa?" Ritsu walked over so she was close to the younger girls' face. "We've come all this way working our buts off and now you wanna quit 'coz poor Mio can't face up to the spotlight?"

"Calm down Ricchan." Mugi used her calm voice to try and extinguish the heat.

"Yeah Ricchan don't take it out on Azu-nyan." Yui came in.

Ritsu scrunched her face and but her lips, but just as she looked like she was about to explode she lowered her shoulders and sighed. "Sorry guys, Azusa's right, we shouldn't do this without Mio-chan. We'll just have to explain it to the audience."

"I think that's the right thing to do." Yui happily agreed. Though she was just as disappointed that they might not play their song, Yui had lots of respect for Mio and would hope that the others would do the same for her if she were absent.

The quartet could hear the chorus of applause as each act had passed – counting down towards zero hour. Sawako peered through the curtains to let them know their act was up next. "Huh? No Mio-chan? You guys should still play though, after all you know what they say about the Bassist?" And with that rather cruel comment Sensei left the floor of them to their own devices.

"Okay guys we better brace ourselves just as we would if we were gonna play anyway." Ritsu gripped her drumsticks tightly as the other three hid their butterflies.

"Okay here we go..." Ritsu nearly snapped the drumsticks as the curtain raised and the hordes of judging faces came into view. "Can you cover this for us Yui-chan?"

"Hai." Yui gave the others a confirming nod before she grabbed the mic-stand and addressed the crowd. "How Y'all been doin' tonight?" Her colloquial manner of speaking made Ritsu's butterflies suddenly morph into ravenous hornets.

"Were the Ho-Kago Tea Time band and we play in the Light Music Club Room every day...Although most of the time we actually just hang out and drink tea." Her incidental comedy was a hit with the crowd when they all laughed. "I'm Yui and I'm pleased to meet you all here tonight, I do the vocals and lead guitar with my friend here named 'Gitah'." The crowd laughed again. "On the keyboard we have Mugi-chan, she's very kind and brings cake to the clubroom every day. On rhythm guitar is Azusa but we call her Azu-nyan because she's just so cute isn't she?" More laughter made Azusa blush and cuddle her guitar like a baby. "Behind me is our awesome drummer Ricchan, she's very loud and always picks on Mio-chan who's..." Yui paused for a moment and turned to the others. "Which is why we're here to announce that we won't be performing tonight out of respect for our friend who plays the Bass and always brings a smile to everyone in the band, Mio-chan."

The crowd expressed some sympathetic disappointment that they would not be hearing the Light Music Club's song tonight. But just as the lights were about to dim and the curtains draw back a tiny voice came from the back of the crowd.

"Sorry I'm late guys...Let's get things started." Mio walked up towards the stage wearing an elegant white dress which went down to her knees. She also had a tiny top hat angled slightly to the right on her head and wore striped stockings. Her lateness may have been excused for being the most well dressed and beautiful member of the band tonight.

"Ah! Mio-chan's here! We can finally play!" Yui and the others cheered as did the crowd when Mio lifted herself onto the stage. The long frill dress meant their would be no 'incidents' tonight.

The girls nodded to each other three times to count off before Mugi begun the song with a beautiful melody. Mio had thankfully done what Yui couldn't and started singing.

"_~I won't forget the promise we made.../...I'll close my eyes and ascertain it..." _The audience was instantly captivated and started cheering for the shy girl who continued powering through the lyrics whilst maintaining a steady bass-line _"~__I'll tear apart the shadow of distress that spilled out.../...and walk on in this world..." _

Yui added her touch with the powerful chords she made earlier and Azusa's rhythm kept things going. _"~Even if I come to a standstill on a difficult road.../...The sky is always waiting for me in a beautiful blue..." _Ritsu should have used a double bass with the amount of speed she was pounding that bass-drum with. _"~When I look back, my friends are there.../..When I noticed it, they have me tenderly surrounded.../...In the world where just about everything is twisted.../...The single place here I can believe in saved me..." _Yui had a chance to enter a brief but fast-paced solo before Mio sang the chorus again. _"~I won't forget the promise we made.../...I'll close my eyes and ascertain it..." _

The song was reaching its climax but they wished they could keep playing like this forever. All those days in the clubroom drinking tea and eating cake. All those nights reading music books and diligently honing their aural skills. All those memories from the three or so training camps they had embarked upon only to find themselves immersed in the fun of playing on the beach or lighting fireworks. All those times had led to this moment, their three years of hard work had come down to a three minute grand finale. And as Mio sang the final words of the song they knew they had done all they could to make their final performance perfect.

"_~The sky is always waiting for me in a beautiful blue.../...So I'm not scared.../...By now, no matter what happens, I won't get disheartened.../...Forever waiting for tomorrow.~"_

Mio panted softly into the microphone as she awaited the audiences final judgement – and they judged her song with two thumbs up and both legs off their seats.

"WOOHOO! YEAH! Well Done! That was amazing!" The rest of the praises were drowned out in a cacophony of applause.

The highly positive reception brought a tear to Mio's eye as she bowed before the audience. "Thank you all so much for supporting our band. We've made so many memories these last three years and as our final few weeks towards graduation come closer, we'd all like to extend a huge thanks to Sawako-Sensei for all her wonderful support and to all the fans who listen to all our songs. We're going to miss all of this next year so please accept our huge appreciations." Mio managed to not only pull off a wonderful song but a humble speech to top it off. Her strange behaviour of the last few days wasn't reflected in tonight performance. The Ho-kago tea Time had looked like they were experiencing the good old days again, even if it couldn't last much longer.

"Spectacular! Mio-chan." Mugi praised the humble Bassist.

"Sugoi, Mio-chan." Ritsu added.

"That was the best, Mio-chan." Azusa commented.

Yui didn't know what do say so she jumped over and gave Mio a huge hug which nearly knocked both of them off their feet. "Please don't ever change Mio-chan, we love you so much!" Yui's eyes were swollen with tears of joy.

And as the lights dimmed and the curtains closed. The audience continued their applause even as they started to leave. They made not have made it to stardom, but their dream of playing together in a hit song had already come true for them that night. Everything was simply wonderful...

...If only this moment could last forever...

'''''

"_We should save this discussion until after tonight."_

"Let me just prepare some tea before we begin." Mugi left Yui and Azusa by a small coffee table in her apartment. The room was full of pretty decorations and jewellery, it was as if they had arrived in a princess's mansion.

"So where are your parents again?" Azusa enquired.

"They've gone to Finland for another holiday, but I decided to stay and help the band out." Mugi brought in a mahogany tray with three gorgeous cups of tea. The cups were so elegant in their appearance Yui was afraid to use hers in case she broke it.

Mugi took a small sip and noted the rich mint flavour in this particular blend. "So it appears we must discuss the matter of your encounter with Kyuubey."

"Yes...and I must ask you Mugi." Yui raised her hand. "How do you know Kyuubey so well? Is he your pet or an exotic animal?"

Mugi lowered her cup and laughed warmly. "Haha, of course not..." With a flick of her coiled hair and a tip of her barrette Mugi dropped the bomb when she told the two girls. "He is my contractor and I am a Magical Girl."

* * *

><p><em><strong>With Mami's (shit I meant Mugi's) confession, how will the girls cope with this brave new world of magic before them? Don't miss the next truly epic chapter! <strong>_


	4. Ep3: Three: part 1

**Just to confuse you even more. This chapter is titled 'Three Part 1' as it is an extended chapter I've uploaded in two parts. PMMM/MSMM fans should get the idea of why I've gone with such a weird chapter name. So enjoy the fourth chapter!**

第3話第1部

"Mugi-chan...Y-your a magical girl?"

Mugi took another sip of her tea and smiled as if it were not a real big deal anyway. "Yes. In fact I've been one before we formed the K-ON club." Mugi produced a small chest and rummaged through some jewellery until she found what she was looking for. "Ah here it is!" she showed the object to the two girls.

"So pretty. What is this?" Yui was intrigued by the small crystal-like object encased in gold.

"This is my soul gem." Mugi held the Jewell close to her chest as if it really were a part of her soul. "This is the part of my soul which connects my body with the powers of a Puella Magi – a Magical Girl."

"~Sugoi." Azusa was awe-struck by this revelation. "But how can we be sure your really a Magical Girl?"

Mugi closed her eyes and smiled calmly. "If your ready for it...We might just have that opportunity tonight...

'''''

Mugi took them out to a nearby walking path which led to the beach. "The tide is a lot higher than usual, I guess that gives her away then." Mugi hopped over the fence and sunk her feet into the soft sand. "Come on you two, you wanted to see my powers didn't you?" Azusa bore a worried glance but Yui seemed more enthusiastic and jumped onto the beach. "Okay were going in the ocean for a minute."

"Huh?" Both girls expressed great surprise. To think they would be jumping in the freezing water in the middle of the night fully clothed.

"Now-now if you follow me carefully you won't get wet." Mugi coaxed the girls to come by her side. The blonde girl led the way, pacing herself slowly toward the water's edge. Mugi entered the water as the waves rose over her shins, soon reaching her thighs and then her waist. The other girls were close behind, watching nervously as the water consumed their bodies. Yet the amazing thing was that they did not feel the slightest bit cold or wet. It was as if they were pushing themselves through a curtain made of silk.

"Told you wouldn't get wet." Mugi laughed kindly.

"Okay I'm convinced you have some freaky abilities can we get out of here now?" Azusa was beginning to chicken out.

"Oh but I haven't even had the opportunity to show you what a Magical Girl does." Mugi and the girls' were now immersed head to toe. They had seemingly entered a portal into another world. The sky was now bright as the middle of day and the heat was intense like you would expect in the middle of summer. Giant buckets, sandcastles and plastic spades dotted the horizon like a mountain range.

"I must warn you two to stay close to me and not stray too far. There is a witch in this area."

"A Witch?" Soon enough, Yui felt the sand rumble beneath her feet. "Ah is this just like the room of mirrors?"

"Watch out Yui!" Mugi gently pushed her aside as they faced what was emerging from the sand. A giant crab wearing a straw hat and women's clothes emerged. It snarled at the girls with its terrifying set of mandibles and clicked its claws that were the size of cars. The giant crab summoned a bunch of its familiars which ranged from deadly crustaceans to the downright ridiculous including beach balls with fangs and sunglasses which shot out heat rays.

"What'll we do?" Azusa held Yui tightly however the brown-haired girl seemed more curious about the hordes of strange creatures than afraid.

"Don't worry I'll take care of them." Mugi offered the girls a reassuring wink before she produced an old musket from her barrette. She fired several rounds of the musket before discarding it and producing two more seemingly from the hammer space that was her head. She unleashed her gunpowder into the array of nightmarish sand creatures before throwing them down and drawing another pair then another pair. As the monsters converged at a more rapid pace she waved her hand and recited a small chant and suddenly was able to produce a whole arsenal of muskets. They were embedded in the sand, Mugi pulled them out two at a time and unleashed more kick-ass into the familiars, she even showed off a little by firing one from behind and looping the musket between her legs. She'd leap onto the butt of one musket perched in the ground before pulling out five more, bundling them between her arms and firing a volley of bullets through the enemy. The sweet, kind-hearted Mugi who brings cakes and tea to the clubroom everyday was seriously Pwning these demon/witch bastards and Yui couldn't help but drool inside through the sheer epicness of her power.

The crab witch was running out of familiars so it crawled towards Mugi with its claws raised. Mugi fanned both arms around her body then pushed forward, summoning rows upon rows of floating rifles. With one flick of her wrist the muskets punched a bunch of holes into the crab-monster. The terrifying giant crustacean really didn't seem to stand a chance against this chick. The battle was over almost as soon as it had begun. When the mighty 'Witch' had finally fallen a small black gem fell from the air. Mugi dived forward and caught it showing great agility.

The distorted-summer-beach-of-horrors land had vanished and night returned to the sky. Mugi pulled her hair back and smiled. "Well wasn't that fun?"

Azusa looked like she was about to throw up and Yui had sparkles in her eyes. "I love you Mugi-senpai." She would have wrestled the girl to the ground if Mugi hadn't pushed the genki girl away.

"Please let me show you something." Mugi opened her palm to reveal the black orb which came out of the defeated Witch. "This is a Grief Seed. Our Purpose as Magical Girls is to defeat Witches and obtain magical energy by harnessing their Grief Seeds." Mugi placed her Soul Gem close next to the Grief Seed. Black flakes were being transferred from the Grief Seed and into Mugi's Soul Gem which glowed a golden yellow colour. "That was quite a workout for my powers so this is my reward for fighting Witches."

"Wow! So you fight witches and then absorb their power?" Yui bowed her head for a closer look. "I want to become a Magical Girl now!"

"Wait a sec, Yui-senpai!" Azusa grabbed her friends sleeve. "Didn't you see that? Are you saying you want to fight those kind of monsters?"

Yui turned back to the sea which glistened a pearl white shine against the moonlight. "I want to help Mugi-chan fight Witches and save others from being eaten by them."

"That's very honourable of you Yui-chan." Mugi complimented her. "You see it wouldn't be very worthwhile to fight such hideous creatures unless you were making a difference right?" Mugi pointed towards the end of the beach. "I bet you didn't notice that young lady over there." A woman in her mid to late thirties was lying face down near the water. Her shoes had been taken off indicating that she was about to walk into the ocean. "She was about to drown herself, another mere suicide right? Well this is how Witches gather their meals, by luring those who shoulder great despair in their lives. They can also trigger murders and accidents as well. Basically if anything can lead to death, Witches will exploit that to eat their victims."

"That's just horrible." Asuza shed a tear for the poor woman who was close to ending her own life.

"That lady over there was under a Witch's curse. Witches don't normally venture into the outside world and are hidden from normal people's site, but when they are branded with a Witch's curse then they are drawn to their maze like moths to a flame, never to return to this world again."

"Will she be alright now?" Yui wanted to go over and help the poor woman.

"She should wake up by tomorrow and forget why she came down here in the first place." Mugi's smile meant that everything was all well for now. "Come now, we should return back to my place, there is still plenty more to discuss."

'''''

Meanwhile a lone girl set foot on the cold dark beach. The tide had settled and the others had already left. The battle had already been won and the Grief Seed taken. The lone girl clench her first and cursed under her breath.

"Tch...I was too late this time..."

'''''

Yui continued her praise as she dug into some s tiny cakes and biscuits which Mugi brought out. "You were amazing out there Mugi-chan! So what made you want to become a Magical Girl anyway?"

Mugi lowered the platter of treats and faced the girls. "I really had no choice." Mugi lowered her gaze and spoke with a bit more solemnity. "I never told anyone in the club about this but I was involved in a terrible car accident about three years ago. If I hadn't met Kyuubey that day, I would never have lived to see the conception of the Light Music Club."

"Mugi..." Yui was almost speechless, she never knew one of her close friends had almost died in a tragic car accident.

"Thankfully my parents were on another holiday at that time. My driver unfortunately passed away on that day, but it seemed somebody wanted to offer me a second chance, so that was the day I made my contract with Kyuubey."

What do you mean by a 'contract'?"

"_**Perhaps you should allow me to take over Miss Kotobuki." **_The strange critter named Kyuubey had pounced onto the window sill and leapt inside.

Yui jumped to her feet. "It's him again! Is he a Witch Mugi, watch I'll smash him for ya." Just as she was about to throw her plate at Kyuubey Mugi calmed her down.

"Kyuubey's not a threat to us. He's on our side." Mugi explained to the eccentric fighter.

"_**I'm not a Witch either just for the record. We detest Witches as much as the Magical Girls themselves.**_**"**

"There's more of you?" Yui squealed.

"_**That's not important. What is important is that I tell you about myself and how to become a Magical Girl."**_

"You mean we can become Magical Girls just like Mugi?" Yui expressed great excitement over the possibility.

If Kyuubey had hands he probably would have pinched his nose by now. _**"If you would just give me the chance to explain things to you Miss Hirasawa. I can grant you the powers of a Magical Girl if you establish a contract with me."**_

"And how do we do that?" Yui pressed further.'

"_**For crying out loud I was just getting to that you airhead!"**_

"Hey that's not very nice." Yui puffed her cheeks. "I was only curious."

"_**Sorry it's just, I've never come across a girl of your calibre before, please excuse my rashness. Anyway you can make a contract with me by asking for a wish – any wish you desire."**_

"So we could wish for anything?" Yui beamed with a huge smile.

"_**Yes."**_

"Anything...?" Yui lowered her eyebrows.

"_**Yes."**_

"What about a thousand wishes." Yui continued.

"_**F*** You that's my answer."**_

"You're cute when you swear in my head." Yui went to pat the cute-wired creature but the innocent looking thing retaliated with a scratch to her palm.

"ITAI!" Yui fell back on her arse and started sobbing like a pre-schooler.

"_**That's what you get for asking stupid questions." **_

"Kyuubey that's not like you at all." Mugi scolded the furry contractor.

"_**I...I just don't understand what goes on in that twisted girl's head? How did you even become friends with her anyway?"**_

"Yui might be a bit strange at times, but she is a very warm and caring person, I would love to see her become a Magical Girl."

"_**You're right...Miss Hirasawa is a prodigy of sorts..." **_Kyuubey crawled over to Yui who was still sucking her wound. **_"Give it some serious thought for a day or two and then tell me what you most desire in this world...Only then can we form a contract to make you into a Magical Girl...The same applies for you Miss..." _**Kyuubey paused as he observed Azusa with his red-orbs. _**"I see...So this is how things turned out..." **_Everyone including Mugi was confused by Kyuubey's words. **_"I shall see you all very soon..." _**Kyuubey concluded, leaping across the room and out of the window.

"What could he have meant by that last part." Asuza wondered.

"I'm not sure, I guess he sensed something different about you than the rest of us girls." Mugi laid her cup on the table. "Well it's getting late, you're welcome to stay here tonight."

Yui smiled at the prospect of staying in Mugi's flat. "Arigato Mugi-chan."

'''''

"_**A wish...Any wish that you desire..."**_

_Anything that I could possibly want more in the world... _Yui considered all the possible things she could ever wish for when she finally fell into her sleep for the night. Her dreams were filled with marshmallows and pancakes and all other sweet edible things that Yui liked. Maybe Yui could have wished for a lifetime supply of cake. Whatever it was going to be, Yui knew it would take some time to decide.

'''''

The three girls woke themselves up early for school this time. This was probably the earliest Yui had ever woken up. They were dressed and ready for another day in school – which roughly translated to another day playing around in the clubroom.

"Final exams are just around the corner aren't they?" Yui mentioned.

"Next week I believe." Mugi said nonchalantly.

"Eh?" Yui shrieked. Maybe now she should wish for her to be able to pass the exams. Or maybe she should have wished for a longer attention span so she could sit down for at least a solid hour or two and study.

_I hope this rash'll go down by tomorrow..._

"What was that Azu-nyan?" Yui turned back to face her junior friend.

"I didn't say anything."

"Yeah it sounded like you had a rash." Yui didn't seem to understand the implications of idle conversation.

"Hold on a minute!" Azusa blushed embarrassingly. "I didn't even say anything."

"Hm-Hm" Mugi giggled softly. "I should tell you that since coming into contact with the Magical World you have acquired a few special abilities: one of them being the ability to communicate with each other through telepathy."

"Cool! Let me try." Yui closed her eyes and spoke through her mind. _Hi everyone I'm Yui...Mugi-chan rocks on the keyboard...I hope she has cake for Yui today..._

"Of course I brought cake Yui-chan." Mugi held her hand beneath her cute smile.

_Hey it worked! Okay what am I thinking about now...?_

"..."

"..."

"AWWW! GROSS YUI! A girl like you shouldn't even think such things!"

"Hehe..This should be fun..."

'''''

The three girls were the first to enter the clubroom. Yui continued trading dirty thoughts into the girl's heads for about an hour-and-a-half before Ritsu and Mio arrived together.

"You guys were killer last night!" Ritsu came in with a huge grin. "We've just seen Sawa-sensei and she wants us to perform for the graduation assembly as well."

"Cool! So we'll have one last chance to impress the crowds before we finish." Yui smiled.

"Mm. And Mio here is officially the most awesome lyricist in the whole world." Ritsu grabbed her tall friend around the hip and grinned cheekily, stirring Mio to whack another lump on the drummers head.

"Jeez I thought you'd learn from all the other whacks to the head." Mio turned away.

"Mio-chan's so lovely, don't ever change your moe style." Ritsu was possibly asking for an other one when she said that.

"Well I think today we should take a rest after last night performance." Mugi laid out the sweets as usual. "Let's just enjoy a break for today."

"Yes let's do that!" Yui beamed as she grabbed some biscuits and tea.

"My-my well I guess I can't object to Mugi's tea." Ritsu joined them.

Throughout the day the girls inflated their tiny stomachs with cake and biscuits. Yui teased the other two girls with her telepathy by repeating how she could eat all the wanted knowing she never gains any weight. Thankfully Ritsu and Mio didn't seem to be able to react to her thoughts as they were the most sensitive of their weights.

"Well another hard day of school is done and dusted." Ritsu picked her teeth feeling accomplished that she consumed five slices of cake and three cups of tea.

"We didn't even attend class today. All we did was sit and have tea and cake." Mio responded with her cynicism. Though everyone seemed to be getting along today, Yui sensed that Mio was keeping a watch on her for most of the day.

"I could get used to doing this all day." Yui noted.

"Well I better return home now. I promise to bring something tasty tomorrow." Mugi rose from her seat. _See you tomorrow Yui and Azusa._

_Ja na! Mugi-chan!_ Yui returned the thought. _Ja na Azunyan! _

Azusa nodded to the genki girl as she left the room next. Ritsu rubbed her belly and got up next. "Bye Yui, bye Mio-chan." Ritsu slapped her friend's back as she left, but the black haired beauty remained in her seat, focusing on Yui.

"Hehe! I better get going too now Mio-chan." Yui reached for the door when-

"Matte." Mio's voice pulled Yui back from the door. "I've been monitoring your movements lately Yui-chan." Mio's eyes were hidden under her fringe when she rose from her seat and walked towards Yui.

"Really? What did you do that for?" Yui asked behind a nervous laugh.

"Don't even consider it...I won't allow you to become one of 'them'." Mio's tone grew darker with each word.

"But Mugi-chan convinced me it was a good thing to do?" Yui huddled up against the wall, afraid of what Mio was planning to do.

"Well I might respect Mugi but sometimes what Mugi says isn't exactly the right thing to do." Mio's fists were bundled. Yui cowered even further into her tiny space.

"I'm sorry I didn't realise you were so worked up over it." Yui entered the foetal position as she prepared herself for a brutal punishment. Instead she was slapped with a piece of paper.

"Here." Mio held out a sheet of paper in front of Yui as she slowly came out of her turtle stance. "Your University Choice sheet." Mio's face had now changed into an innocent smile.

"Oh y-you're worried about that?" Yui cautiously grabbed the form.

"I absolutely won't allow you to throw away your future and become a pastry chef." Mio referred to the occupation that Yui had written on the form. "Please consider your future properly before you submit this to Sensei."

"Oh...Okay then Mio-chan." Yui picked herself back up with the form in hand.

"Good, that's all. See you tomorrow Yui-chan." Mio gave a very kind smile and wave before she left the clubroom. Yui's legs were still shaking from that encounter and she put a hand in front of her skirt and sighed.

_Shit I nearly lost control there..._

'''''

Yui was able to push her worries aside with another meal provided by her motherly sister.

"It sounded like the five of you had a lot of fun today." Ui always admired her older sister's stories from the Light Music Club.

"Oh yeah we just ate Mugi's food all day, being a third-year is awesome." Yui regarded her final days of high school as being some sort of tea party.

"I can't wait till I'm in my final year too." Ui smiled.

Yui gulped down another mouthful of food. "I know. This year has definitely been the most fun I've ever had...I wish we could stay like this forever..."

'''''

_I really do wish we could keep hanging out like this forever. _Yui kept thinking to herself as she relaxed in her bedroom. _Ricchan brings her noise and life to the club. Mugi-chan always keeps us full with her tea and cakes. Azu-nyan's cuteness is just adorable. And though Mio might be strict she is special for that and I love her too...I think I'll really miss them when school comes to an end..._

Just as Yui pondered about what she was going to miss next year she felt her phone vibrate on the desk. She answered immediately; it was Mugi – her tone was quite urgent.

_#I have to meet you and Azusa right away...#_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yui and Azusa have been shown into the world of Magical Girls by none other than their fellow band member Tsumugi. But with this urgent call, what will these three girls find themselves up against? Don't miss the next exciting chapter!<strong>_


	5. Ep4: Three: part 2

**This chapter is a lot shorter than the others as it continues on from the last scene. It should still suffice, especially when you reach the end...So enjoy!**

第3話第2部

Yui sprinted over to the local ice skating rink. Mugi and Azusa were waiting outside. Just like Yui, they were both still wearing their uniforms

"What did you want to come here for? Can't you see it's already closed?" Yui didn't notice the grave concern in Mugi's eyes.

"There is a powerful witch residing inside the ice rink. I should be able to handle her by myself but I could do with some backup if things get nasty."

"You mean you want us to become Magical Girls too?" Yui concluded.

"I hope that won't be necessary, I would have preferred to have avoided involving anyone else but circumstances have changed. Kyuubey will be by your side to to keep an eye on the two of you." Mugi flattened her hand towards the albino creature as he hopped down the roof to land in front of the girls.

"_**No need to worry Miss Hirasawa and Miss Nakano. You can form a contract with me at any point if you have decided upon your wish."**_

"Alright, let's brace ourselves." Mugi gulped as she placed her hand on the steel handle of the door, she chanted a small spell which snapped the lock and forced the doors to open. A gust of cold air blew from the dark room and pat the three girls. A foreboding presence could be felt by all of them.

"I ask that you two stay close and don't separate no matter what happens."

SLASH. The sound of a katana sweeping through the air could be heard. Mugi flinched as a blade blocked her path. Out of the shadows a girl showered in complete darkness emerged. Her clothes were white with shades of grey and black and her long black hair whisked across her pale face. She was the girl from Yui's dreams, the girl who had saved her from that 'witch' just two days ago.

"Mio-chan? What are you doing here?"

"I cannot let you take Yui and Azusa in there. I am going to fight this Witch myself."

"Don't tell me you're a magical girl as well?" Yui was shocked that two of her best friends were now contracted with Kyuubey. "I was wondering why you were acting so strange lately."

"Please don't interfere Mio-chan." Mugi asked the K-ON clubs Bassist kindly.

"This has gone too far Tsumugi." Preferring to use her full name to emphasise her seriousness. "This is not just some game you can play with these girls. If you try and enter I'll have no other choice." Mio drew her sword as she faced Mugi.

Yui tried to plead with Mio. "Mio this is not like you. Why are you holding a sword to Mugi-chan, aren't we all on the same side?"

"There is a lot more to being a Magical Girl than Mugi and Kyuubey have bothered to explain." Mio hardened her stance.

Mugi brushed a hand through her hair and picked out a long strand. "I don't like having to betray my friends but I'm afraid I have no other choice myself." Before Mio could react with her blade Mugi had dashed around Mio's position with her hair strand, wrapping it around her like a tiny rope. In an instant the hair strand had grown around Mio and bound her to the wall next to the entrance.

As the others made their way inside, a defeated Mio tried to reason with Mugi. "Why are you so determined to fight this Witch? You and I both know you can't win." Mio's pessimism was troubling for the other two girls but they had gone too far to turn back now.

"I'm sorry Mio-chan." Yui stopped before a bound Mio and gave a reassuring smile. "I really don't understand what's going on at the moment but please wait here for a moment."

"Yui-chan?" Mio was amazed by Yui's calmness in this otherwise dire situation.

"~Don't worry! Tomorrow we can forget all about this and enjoy Mio's tea and practise like we always do. Nothing has to change because of this." Yui's smile couldn't be any more captivating at that point.

"Yui..."

"Well I better catch up to the others now, we won't be long Mio-chan, I promise." And with that Yui ventured into the dark portal, unaware of what lie beyond her.

'''''

Yui noticed Mugi, Kyuubey and Azusa up ahead through a tiny corridor. As she escaped the tunnel and into the open, she found herself in a completely different world. The Witch's maze was like entering a ballroom hall, only the floor was covered in ice and all the ornaments, including the candles, tea-cups and cutlery, were dancing around the perimeter.

"_**This Witch is known as Chandelier, she has already eaten three other Magical girls before so you must be very careful Miss Kotobuki."**_

"Mm...I understand." Mugi held out her Soul Gem and transformed into her magical Girl outfit which amazingly enough was very similar to the one she wore for the performance last night. "Mugi faced away from the other girls with her head held low. She clutched something towards her chest then fixed her stance before turning back to face the girls with a hollow smile. "Do you remember these?" Mugi held a bracelet in her hand and showed it to the girls. The bracelet possessed a bubbly Hiragana 'i'. "We bought them from our field trip to Kyoto not long ago. She handed hers over to Yui. "I want you to hang on to it for now. This is just my way of promising that the K-ON club will live on forever."

"But Mugi, we can't possibly-"

"It's quite alright..." Mugi lifted Yui's sleeve and discovered her own bracelet with the 'n' character from 'Keionbu'. Asuza pulled her one out too: the character 'bu' for club. She held out the two girls' hands and placed the three bracelets together. "I wish we could have Ricchan and Mio-chan for this but know that the Light Music Club will never separate. Despite our differences, our idiosyncrasies or our troubles, these bracelets are a symbol of our unbreakable friendship."

"Yes." Yui nodded.

"Yes." Azusa likewise.

Mugi sighed deeply and gave a small laugh. "Gomen. I must have worried you two with that long speech. Please don't fret, I promise as soon as this is over with I'll make us the best, most delicious cake you have ever seen. We can all enjoy it together the next morning agreed?"

"Agreed." They all shared brief smiles before Mugi set off towards the crowd of familiars.

"Make sure you protect them while my back is turned Kyuubey." Mugi made one last request before venturing into battle. The hordes of candles the sive of humans began to hover around Mugi licking their fiery breath towards her. The cups and cutlery were just as hostile towards her presence, with the array of silverware grinding together in anticipation for a Magical Girl feast.

"Now, shall we enter?" With that little remark Mugi began her one-man (or one-girl) war against the Witches army, pulling out a dozen or so rifles and blasting the rounds into the first rows of familiars. As the others advanced she summoned more rifles in the air firing in quick succession against the horde of demon candles, cups and cutlery. She leapt onto a tea cup – whose rim was aligned with sharp teeth, and fired a bullet into it's mouth breaking the cup into thousands of smaller shards. She waved her hand in a circle and sent the shards into the familiar's ranks, cutting their power down even further. In a matter of minutes, Mugi had halved their numbers. Some of the first candles bundled together to make a much more intense flame to hopefully stop Mugi but the girl with thick eyebrows and a knack for making tea and cakes, was easily able to extinguish the flames with her magic.

As the other familiars realised their force was significantly weakened, the Witch named Chandelier decided to finally take over. The room faded into and out of darkness as a monster revealed itself floating down from the roof. It's presence was haunting for the two normal girls in the room, but Mugi and Kyuubey remained as firm as ever in the face of this powerful Witch. It's body was rather simple, a compilation of different dressing gowns bundled together in a giant jelly like blob, with an array of sharp tentacles hooking out of it's body like a giant chandelier.

"That thing's freaky." Azusa closed her eyes as she held onto Yui. Yui couldn't bear to look away, this world of witches and Magical Girls fascinated her – possibly even more so than the Light Music Club, and she was drawn into the stunningly surreal sights of the mazes, the familiars, the witches, and the notion of Magical Girls. She couldn't wait to finally boast to everyone at school tomorrow about Mugi's power. She just had to wait and see Mugi defeat this rather strange looking Witch first.

Mugi quickly turned her head back to the girls and gave a reassuring wink before facing the witch. "Now, shall we begin?"

GREECCH. The Chandelier witch created an ear-shattering screeching noise as it hovered towards Mugi. Mugi drew out two rifles and alternated her fire, darting around the Witch as it flung its tentacle-like projections at Mugi. Mugi was able to dodge each of its strikes with great speed and flare, she managed to dive under it's belly and fire several rounds at its guts. Chandelier's innards leaked out of its wounds and splashed across Mugi as she crawled out from underneath its body. Just as the creature looked like it was done for another set of hooked tentacles emerged from its wound slashing towards Mugi.

"_**Watch out Mugi"**_ Kyuubey called from the sidelines. One hook managed to scratch Mugi's shoulder. The Witch was suddenly sprouting more extensions from itself as a flaming torch manifested itself in between the ring of hooked tentacles. It blasted raging hot fire across the room, melting some of the ice floor and revealing a bottomless abyss below.

"Watch out!" Mugi noticed the floor was slowly melting away. She would have to end this with one final attack.

As the Eldritch Abomination neared Mugi with another fireball ready Mugi released another strand of her hair and threw it towards the witch, bounding it to the walls and ceiling in tight ribbons. Mugi then summoned a score of bayonets then extended her arms forward and formed two circles. Then by thrusting her palms forward the bayonets all drove into the Witch's flesh, stunning the monster even further. Next she flicked her fingers towards her thick eyebrows, plucking out two small hairs which formed into two giant crescent blades. She threw them into the beasts font with relative ease. The job was not finished yet it seemed as she finally summoned one very large musket – holding it on a tripod like a strange canon. She aimed at the beast and mouthed the word.

"Sayonara...Majo." The gun-canon fired straight into the immobile Chandelier. A fantastic explosion filled the room. Mugi turned back to the girls with the shockwave blowing her hair into her face. They all thought she looked like a real bad-ass when she took down this Witch. Yui and Azusa smiled when they saw Mugi victorious. Mugi even casually wiped off a piece of Witches guts that were on her shoulder and smiled that warm and carefree smile of an innocent teenager.

But as the smoke and dust cleared a shadow emerged. Chandelier was still alive and was growing another extension from its injuries. Mugi was caught of guard this time. A puffy white marshmallow face with a chef's hat emerged from the otherwise mutating bundle of hooks and torches. The chubby face, which could have come from the back of a cake mix box leant over Mugi with a rather comical smile. But once it revealed a circle of piranha-like fangs Mugi knew it was all over. All she could do was smile briefly – barely enough time to recall all those bright and cheerful moments with Ritsu, Mio, Azusa, Yui and Sawako-sensei in the clubroom...barely enough time before her upper body was consumed by the monster.

* * *

><p><em><strong>NO! Mugi-chan's been...she's been...Why oh why poor Mugi-chan! She was the sweetest member of the K-ON club! How will they all cope now with the nightmarish reality of Mugi's death? You CANNOT miss the next chapter! <strong>_


	6. Ep5: Erased from existence

存在から消去

Mio felt the bounds of the ribbon start to loosen as they eventually disintegrated into grains of sand. She held open her palm and watched as the final strands dissolved from her hands.

_Mugi don't tell me you have..._

'''''

"No...This can't be happening...There just no way Mugi could die!"

"_**This is bad, hurry you two, you must make a contract with me immediately!"**_

"I'm scared!" Azusa cowered behind Yui, who was forced to watch on as Mugi's body was thrown to the ground and devoured by the rest of the little monsters.

_I thought being a Magical Girl was supposed to be fun...It wasn't meant to come to this...This can't be real...Please let me wake up and find out this was all just a bad dream...Please...It has to be a dream..._

"_**This is not a dream Miss Hirasawa. If you don't hurry and make your wish now then you and your friend will be killed!" **_Kyuubey couldn't stress enough the seriousness of his message.

"B-but I...I just can't..." Yui's once bright and innocent face was being flouted with tears. She was still trying to deny what she was seeing in front of her. That the devouring of Mugi's bones and flesh was just another one of those horrible nightmares like the other night. That she had never even heard of a thing named Kyuubey and that she was about to wake up in the clubroom again with all of the band and play that awesome song again. The pain of seeing her friend dissapear was merely phantom and even though the monsters were now crawling towards her and Azusa, it would be alright because she would then return to the real world.

SLASH. SPLURT. SPLOOSH. Fountains of strange liquid suddenly rained down upon Yui and the others. The cold and wet sensation seemed to revive Yui back into her very cruel reality. Unfortunately for all of them, they were still living in the very nightmare they were trying to escape. Though some fortune seemed to have arrived in the form of another Magical Girl with flowing black hair.

"Mio!" Yui cried out for her friend.

Mio only turned her body slightly, offering a quick gaze before she leapt into the air and charged at the enemy. In several quick flashes the familiars were cut down into cocktail-sized pieces. The main enemy – the Witch was still a matter to be dealt with. Yet although Mugi was unable to defeat this foe, it seemed Mio was able to make quick work of it. She dashed to its left and sliced open its guts before dashing from behind and cleaving into its right. She kept putting large cuts into its body summoning all of the organic extensions from its body. With the enemy resembling a walking tree of arms and odd coloured flesh, Mio spread out her arms like wings and summoned a ring of swords around the enemy. When she lowered her hands the swords converged and pierced the enemy in around the middle of it's body. When she turned and walked away the blades began to slice around the enemy simultaneously until they managed to rip Chandelier in half. The final blow appeared to be decisive, killing the Witch and releasing its grief seed – which flung towards Mio's foot.

The room was slowly peeling back into normality, the cold and dark ice rink revealing itself to the girls.

"_**Of course! By summoning all of the doppelgangers through many lacerations you were able to kill the Witch completely by destroying all of them at the same time! It was so simple yet Mugi didn't get it in the end." **_The tiny creature didn't seem to express much sympathy for the loss of a Magical Girl let alone a human being.

Mio's clothes returned to normal as she picked up the grief seed and put it in her pocket. She was unable to bring herself to say anything. She just stared at Yui and Azusa's grief-stricken eyes. They had just witnessed the death of one fo their close friends in the most nightmarish of situations. What could you possibly say in such a situation?

Yui collapsed to her knees and lowered her head. "Why...? I don't understand...Why did she have to die?" Yui raised her head, revealing a watery face of despair. "WHY MIO! WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE LIKE THAT!" Yui's sobs returned, pushing her head back down and her shoulders forward. "What is a Magical Girl anyway? Why have we all been dragged into this nightmare?"

Asuza was still clinging onto Yui even as they both fell. She soaked Yui's sleeve with her own tears. "I just wanna go home! Please take us away from here. Mio...Please..."

Mio took one step forward. "I knew this was bound to happen. You should have just forgotten about that dream and left it where it was. Now we're really in a bind."

"What are saying Mio? Don't you realise that Mugi is dead? How can speak as if nothing happened."

Mio bit her thumb then faced the distraught girls once again. "You both need to get some rest." Mio flicked the bottom of her hair,. Spreading it open like a Japanese fan. She leant towards the girls, her long veil of hair covering their entire vision until everything was...and remained...black...

'''''

"Hey Yui-chan looks like you're early to the clubroom" Mugi smiled gracefully as she put down a set of tea.

"Well you know me, I run at the first chance of food, especially when it's yours Mugi-chan."

"Is that so?" Mugi chuckled with spirit. "Well I'm glad you came early because I made a cake especially for you." Mugi set down a plate with a slice of cream-sponge cake with a strawberry on top. "I made this one for you, just how you like it."

"Ah! And a whole strawberry on top as well. You're so kind Mugi-chan." Yui sat at the table and reached for a fork so she could take of the strawberry first."

"I believe you once said that the strawberry is like the heart of a cake." Mugi swung her legs as she sat on the table. "However if that's the case, then it would be wrong to eat the strawberry first."

"Mmm?" Yui hummed whilst holding the strawberry in her mouth.

Mugi gazed upon the ceiling in a reflective way. "Because if strawberries are the hearts then it would be wrong to leave the cake without its very soul as it slowly gets eaten." Mugi kept pondering her own philosophy. "I believe if one should die, it is important that the heart lives on, that way everyone can remember it's very existence when it was once whole." Mugi sighed then looked down at a rather puzzled Yui. "Gomenosai. That must have sounded very strange."

"Nn ph thnk ph gh hrrt." Yui said with a mouthful of sponge-cake. She swallowed her food then exhaled. "I mean I think I sorta get what you mean."

"You do?" Mugi seemed quite impressed.

"You think the cake will feel lonely without it's heart as it is being eaten right. Because if the cake has to die, then it should hold onto its strawberry – heart, until its last moment of life...before its fully eaten by me! Hehehe."

"Yes...well I guess that's what I meant." Mugi hopped off the table and walked towards the window. The sun was filling the room with pleasant light. As the sun lit up Mugi's face she smiled to herself. "Let's hope the others are here soon."

"Yeah." Yui was busy cleaning her plate. "Say Mugi, why is it that your always so happy?" Yui threw out a seemingly random question. She received no response. "Hey Mugi. Are you listening?" Clouds must have begun to gather outside as the room was consumed by a dull greyness. "Mugi-chan! What are you?" As Yui turned towards Mugi she noticed her head and shoulders were missing. They were literally blowing away into dust as her body was fading towards her legs and finally leaving her shoes behind.

"MUGI-CHAN PLEASE DON'T GO!"

'''''

Yui felt a sharp pain in her stomach as she woke up in her fluffy and peaceful bedroom. She frowned when she realised that was all another dream. She shed tears as she remembered everything about last night – hating to admit it but knowing all to well that those events were certainly not fiction. The room seemed somewhat less full of light, less full of life, vitality and joy that Yui once loved to wake up to every morning. She remained anchored in her blankets until her sister opened the door.

"Onee-chan you must wake up our you'll be late for school. Come on it's a Friday anyway, you can sleep in all weekend."

"Five minutes." Yui croaked to her sister.

"Ano...Okay then...Well I'm leaving now but I've left your breakfast on the table...Ja na." Ui closed the door, leaving Yui to wallow in her own living hell.

'''''

Yui eventually dragged herself out of bed. Something in her knew that she just had to keep going with this life or it would only make herself suffer even more. She trudged to the bathroom and splashed her face with water that felt like icicles brushing against her cheeks. She noticed her sullen face in the mirror, she looked like she had aged ten years in as many hours. Her hair had split in a number of place and her eyes here sagged and crusty. Her face was pale and grey just like her heart felt at that moment.

Yui slowly changed into her uniform and went downstairs. The news was playing on the TV yet again. There wasn't any reports of deaths or suicides this time. Rather they focused on puff pieces with celebrities and light-hearted stories. Quite an ironic twist of moods for both the TV and Yui that day. The girl took a bite of her jam and toast then put it back down, unable to bring herself to take another bite. Why was it that everything she did just brought back more pain? Yui pressed her face onto the wooden table and cried. Sadness was something alien to her, yet now that it had arrived, she didn't know how to bear it. It took all her strength to get her to stand and leave the room. She closed the door and began the long journey of solitude to school.

'''''

Yui's sadness was soon turning into anger as she watched ordinary people continue their day to day routines. How was it right, she thought, that someone like Mugi can just die, yet these people are able to carry on with their own lives? There didn't seem to be any justice in any of it.

As she reached the school gates she noticed another lonely girl with dropping pigtails waiting for her. When Yui was close, Azusa raised her head and collapsed onto Yui.

"I was waiting for you. I don't think I could have gone in there without you. It's just so horrible what happened last night."

Knowing that there was someone else feeling Yui's pain made Yui feel a tiny bit better. "It's alright Azusa. We can get through this together. Besides, Mio and Ritsu and all the others will need our support as well."

Azusa sniffed and looked up to Yui. "Y-you really mean that?"

Yui made a weak laugh and forced a smile. "Sure I do...Now let's go to class. We'll meet back in the clubroom at lunch and talk some more."

Azusa wiped away her tears. "Thank you so much Yui. I don't know what I'd do without you right now."

'''''

Yui was determined to focus on her studies for the time being. She had to put her mind of last night, even just for a little while, so she wouldn't drive herself into depression. Yet just the thought of everyone writing down their notes and the teacher speaking to the class made Yui's sadness ferment inside. She noticed the empty space where Mugi once sat in front of her. Mugi attended class everyday, it was a wonder that noone saw her total absence as odd. It was like nobody seemed to care or even acknowledge her absence.

Yui felt a strong cramp in her wrist and slipped her pencil across the page, leaving a large stroke across her notes. Even writing on a piece of paper was becoming a workout for Yui. She sighed as she rested on her desk, gazing outside at the melancholy clouds as they began to shift over the suns view.

''''''

Yui was roused by the ring of the bell signifying lunchtime. She had dozed off in class the whole time. She was becoming physically and mentally exhausted.

"Are you alright Yui-senpai?" Nodoka came over to check up on her old friend.

"I'm not sure." Yui said with honesty. "Doesn't anyone find it odd that Mugi-chan is absent today?"

Nodoka blinked a few times then spoke. "I'm sorry, who's Mugi-chan?"

Yui wasn't sure what to think of the class president's comment at first so she said her name again. "Tsumugi Kotobuki...The one who used to play keyboard in the clubroom."

Nodoka showed that same confused expression again. "I'm sorry but I don't know that person, does your band even have a keyboard player?"

Either Nodoka was playing a cruel joke or something strange was going on. Yui grabbed her friend by the shoulder and shook her violently. "Why are you acting like this? You know Mugi-chan, she was our wonderful Keyboard player who made us tea and cake every day and spoke like a princess." She clutched Nodoka's sleeves and sobbed. "Something terrible happened to her. And now she's never coming back."

Nodoka appeared more concerned about Yui than this girl named Mugi. "Are you okay Yui? I think I better take you to the nurses office."

"No!...I don't want to go...I'm sorry but..." Yui ran out of the room leaving Nodoka awfully confused about her normally cheerful friend's plight.

'''''

Nodoka's reaction was devastating for Yui. She bumped into more of her classmates outside the corridor. "Please let me ask you something important!" Yui spoke with desperation in her voice. "Didn't you notice Mugi-senpai was missing from class today?"

"Hmm?"

"Who's Mugi?"

"What's up with you today Yui?"

"I've never heard of that name before..."

The responses varied but the conclusion was horribly straightforward. Everyone in her class had not only forgotten about Tsumugi, they had acted as if she had never existed in the first place.

_This is horrible...Mugi had disappeared from everyone's memories...How could this have happened?_

In her daze Yui found herself at the door of the clubroom. She was about to touch the handle when a sudden chill travelled deep down her spine. It shook her so hard she collapsed to her knees. Her body was beginning to feel the intense emotional stress from those haunting memories of last night. And now that everyone was coming down with a sudden case of amnesia, she would have to shoulder the grief with Azusa, Mio and Ritsu.

She had to enter that room. She needed to remind herself that Mugi did in fact exist, so she could spark back everyone's memory. She gripped the door handle and forced it open, nearly falling forward in the process.

"Uh...You managing okay there Yui-chan?" That tomboyish voice could have come from only one person.

"Ri...chan?" Yui noticed the bands drummer packing some equipment into a large box with a large red stamp reading 'FRAGILE' in the top right corner.

"I was wondering when the heck you guys were gonna arrive. I could have done with you, Azusa's and Mio's help." Ritsu continued her idle packing as Yui lifted herself back to her feet.

Yui couldn't help but notice how empty the wooden table at the end of the room appeared without Mugi's complimentary tea platter. The small differences made this lace seem wrong. Even when she looked over at the instruments...

"Hey Ritsu." Mio suddenly entered in her usual quiet manner. She walked over and sat across from Yui. "Hey Yui, you're looking kind of under the weather today."

Yui wasn't sure how to respond anymore. She figured she must be in the middle of one her wild daydreams again. There's no way everyone could be so oblivious to Mugi's absence – especially not Mio who would have witnessed her very death.

"Oh hey everyone." Azusa finally entered the clubroom. Judging by her solemn appearance at least Yui knew there was still someone who was aware of Mugi's demise.'

Azusa glanced over at her trusted friend and shared her thoughts. _Yui I'm really worried. Noone seems to remember anything about Mugi-senpai. It's as if she's just disappeared from everyone's memory._

Yui gave a small assertive nod and responded. _I know...Even Nodoka-chan acted as though Mugi never existed. Know Ritsu and Mio are acting rather calmly...I'll have to say something_.

When Yui took another observation of Ritsu's packing she had to ask her. "What are you doing anyway Ricchan?"

Ritsu scratched her head and replied embarrassingly. "I noticed someone had left this Keyboard in the clubroom so I thought I'd return it to the faculty room since none of us play it."

Azusa stomped her foot and cried out to the club president. "How can you say that? Don't act like Mugi never existed, it's already cruel enough that everyone else is doing this." Azusa balled her fists as the tears rolled onto her knuckles. She couldn't hold back any longer. "DON'T YOU REALISE THAT MUGI WAS KILLED? HOW CAN YOU BE SO CRUEL TO DENY THAT SHE EVER EXISTED?"

An eerie pause passed through the room. Ritsu was held aghast by Azusa's words. She knelt down to drop the box and kept her eyes focused on Azusa. "Azusa...I want to understand what you're saying but..." Ritsu lowered her gaze indicating her seriousness. "I've never heard of this girl you call Mugi...If she's a friend of yours then we're all sorry for your loss."

Ritsu's apologetic tone still didn't make the situation any better. Now one of the people who had been very close to Mugi had completely lost all memory of the blonde's existence. Yui and Azusa both faced Mio who had said nothing the entire time.

"_**I figured it was easier for you girls to find this out the harsh way." **_Both girl noticed Kyuubey standing on the window sill. _**"Don't worry, normal humans can't see me."**_

_What did we need to find out about? Why has everyone forgotten about Mugi?_

"_**This is one of the ultimate consequences of becoming a Puella Magi. When a Magical Girl's body is consumed by a Witch not only does she lose her life, but her entire existence to those around her."**_

_No...So you're saying that-_

"_**-As far as Miss Tainaka, Miss Manabe and everyone else is concerned, Tsumugi Kotobuki never existed..."**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yui and Azusa have faced a double blow through not only the loss of their best friend but everyone's memories as well. Is there anything that could possibly be done to revive people's memories of Mugi? And why is Mio acting strange like the rest of them? Find out in the next dramatic chapter! <strong>_


	7. Ep6: Please don't cry

**This chapter is also a bit shorter than the others but felt I liked the way I ended this one. Right now this story is about somewhere between episode four or five of the PMMM/MSMM series (Mugi's death was obviously put as episode 3 for that reason) Remember to try and leave a review sometime - anything helps. For now, enjoy the seventh episode of _Mahou Shoujou Keiongakubu Magika_**

泣かないで

"_So if you could make one wish for something you really, really wanted, what would you wish for?"_

"_A puppy – no a goldfish – no wait maybe a hamster, one that can talk and wear shoes. Then I could take him out for walks and we could eat and lay all day together. Yeah...that or a bicycle."_

"_My...my you really have quite an imagination there Yui."_

"_Hmhm..."_

"_And what would you like to be when you grow up?"_

"_Oh I know this one! Um...I wanna be a turtle!"_

"_You can't be a turtle silly...I mean what would you like to do when you grow up?"_

"_Hmm...I...I want to be a happy person that is kind and fair to everyone...And I want everyone to be happy with me too!"_

'''''

Yui felt the soft embrace of her pillow pressing against her face as she faced the real world for another harsh day. Normally she would be ecstatic at the thought of another weekend. But there was nothing to look forward too when it rained inside your heart. Yui groaned with pain as she noticed the clouds hanging over the heavens. But then again, perhaps the sun would never shine again in Yui's world of grief.

Kyuubey had dealt another blow to the tragedy of that night, when he revealed how a Magical Girl's existence is wiped from everyone's memory once they are defeated by a Witch. Now it seemed only two people in the entire world will ever shed another tear for the girl named Tsumugi Kotobuki.

Yui felt a rumbling pain in her stomach. She was tearing herself apart with grief. She didn't even feel like getting out of bed today. Ui had come by the doorway several times already, showing obvious concern for her older sister. Yui said she felt sick and would need to rest for today.

The once vibrant flower had finally wilted into despair.

'''''

Azusa cuddled a large pillow with her arms and legs as if she were a baby orang-utan clutching to her mother. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened in that ice rink, the monsters, and the way Mio quickly came in and saved the two of them from a similar fate. But after watching Yui at school yesterday, she was beginning to feel more sorrow for her Senpai.

_Seeing Mugi disappear like that was awful. No-one should die like that...But to see Yui change overnight like that was utterly devastating...She shouldn't feel burdened by all of this._

Azusa heard a knock at the door. Her apartment room was kept dark so she had to feel around for the door. She was relieved to find Mio waiting outside.

"Mio-senpai, would you like to come in?"

Mio's plain dark shirt and jeans reflected her current mood. The black-haired bassist took a seat next to Azusa and began relaying her own dilemmas to Azusa.

"I'm a little worried about Yui-senpai." Mio said with a grey tone.

"You are too? I'm glad you came over then." Azusa suddenly reached over and gave the girl, who was like another sister for her, a huge hug and wept softly. "Yui shouldn't have seen that happen to Mugi-senpai. And now she knows that everyone has forgotten...oh wait..." Asuza wasn't sure whether Mio had forgotten like the others. "You haven't forgotten about Mugi right."

Mio gave a small nod as she patted her friend on the shoulder. "Of course I haven't, I just gave the impression I had yesterday."

Azusa let go of Mio and wiped her face. "Was that so Ritsu wouldn't find out about Magical Girls?"

"Mm..." Mio looked down at the carpet beneath her feet. "As tragic as Tsumugi's death was, it was bound to happen ever since she introduced you and Yui to the world of Magical Girls and Witches."

Azusa protested. "But Mugi was our friend! How can you just say that was inevitable?"

"I tried to warn Yui-senpai to ignore those dreams and stay the way she was. Perhaps I was not assertive enough but now look at the trouble we're facing" Mio rose to her feet and faced the door. "I need you to keep an eye on Yui-senpai for a while. There are more of those Witches for me to take care of."

"Mio..." Azusa was still unsure of Mio's request.

"And I must urge you to stay away from Kyuubey, he will try and convince you to become a Magical Girl as well. And trust me...you will regret it as soon as you form that contract." Mio concluded with that downer statement as she left the room.

Azusa sat still for a few minutes before scrunching back up to her pillow. _I'm even more in the dark than before now..._

'''''

The day was reaching its end and Yui had still not ventured out of her bedroom. She lay on the floor clutching the little bracelet that Mugi gave to her during her final battle. She rolled the 'I' character around her fingers, remembering all the wonderful times they had together in the club.

"Onee-chan, can I open the door?" Ui had grown very concerned since Yui had not moved from her room the whole day.

Ui received no response. She decided to call one of her friends to come and check up on her sister. She left her sister's door and went downstairs to find the phone. "Azusa-san?"

"Ui?"

"Gomenne...Could you please come over and see Yui. She hasn't come out of her room all day. I don't know if something happened at school, but I'm getting very concerned."

"I'll come over right away."

"Thank goodness..." Ui sighed with relief. "See you soon then."

'''''

Meanwhile, Ritsu had spent most of her weekend shopping. She had been looking for a new headband for a while now but she couldn't find the right store.

_Darn, where the hell could the sell them? _Throughout Ritsu's wayward browsing she came across Mio.

"Yo! Mio-chan!" Ritsu called out in her very loud and noticeable manner.

"Oh! Hello Ritsu." Mio wasn't as high tempo as Ritsu.

Ritsu laid down her bags and wrapped an arm around her best friend. "What's going on? I've just been buying a whole heap of shit I'll probably never use. How about you?"

"Nothing much...I just stopped by Azusa's for a minute and that's about it."

"Azusa huh? You should have called me, then we could have gotten Yui over as well." Ritsu was still denying the existence of the former keyboard player.

"Sorry. It was nothing important anyway." Mio looked away towards the next block. "Well I must get back home now, see you and the others on Monday." Mio squirmed out of Ritsu's arm and began walking away, leaving Ritsu by herself once again.

"Oh well..." Ritsu resumed her search for the headband through the next window. "What the..." She pulled back from the window when she saw the reflection of an animal behind her. She whisked around but found nothing was there. Confident she was just seeing things, she returned back to her original mission.

_Strange..._

'''''

"Welcome Azusa, please come in." Ui kindly greeted the girl with pig-tails as she took her shoes off and entered the house. "This is not like Yui to be spending a wonderful weekend inside her room. I don't believe she is sick. If she was then she would be wanting me to tend to her straight away. I believe something must have happened yesterday or the day before to trigger this." As Ui was halfway up the stairs she turned back to her classmate with teary eyes. "Do you have any idea what could possibly be causing her to do this?"

Azusa knew of course, but she couldn't tell Ui that it was due to Mugi's death. Ui would have no idea who she was talking about anyway. "I don't know either."

Ui dashed over and pointed to the door of her sister's bedroom. "This is her room, I'll be downstairs if you need anything." Ui lightly tapped Azusa's shoulder as she left back down the stairs. Azusa proceeded to the door and called out to her friend. "Yui-chan, it's me Azusa, may I come in?"

No response...

Azusa slowly opened the door and instantly found herself in a warzone. The room was almost completely dark, save from a small slit of light that broke through the end of the curtains. The walls and shelves had been emptied of their contents and the floor was sprawling with stuffed animals, posters and other symbols of happiness and joy. Amongst all of the wreckage was a girl in loose clothes, and a mop of brown hair.

"Yui-senpai..." Azusa had to contain her sadness at this point. She almost thought that Yui had entered into some kind of withdrawal. It was only when Yui lifted her head slightly and uttered a few words that Azusa was able to eliminate at least one major concern.

"Why...Why is everything in this world a lie?"

Azusa was unsure what to say. "Yui...I...Don't understand..."

"Why have I lived seventeen years of my life in a bubble? Why have I been shielded from the reality of this world?" Yui rolled towards Azusa, revealing a face worthy of death itself – ragged, pale and empty. Her eyes had sunk and so too the corners of her mouth. "There is just no point in anything anymore? All these things have no meaning when you can't even experience joy anymore."

Azusa was struggling to hold back her own sadness. But her sadness was for Yui rather than Mugi. She knelt down and cradled Yui in her arms. "Please don't talk like that Yui. I don't want you to destroy yourself over all that has happened. We can get through this together, you, me and Mio."

"Y'know, I was so stupid. I really believed that the five of us could stay like this forever, even after graduation. I never believed that anything could possibly separate us." Yui's eyes had been dried of all their moisture. She had cried so much that only more pain flowed from her body instead.

"NO!" Azusa clutched her friend tighter, soaking her face with her own tears. "I won't let you carry the burden alone. I'll make sure you can see the sunshine again...I promise."

"Even when the sun does shine again, there will always be rain in this world." Yui added.

Azusa wiped her sleeve across her face and looked towards the window. "It doesn't have to, we can change the world for the better. We can stop those clouds from ever blocking the sun."

"Please Azusa...Can you just leave me alone for a bit longer." Yui turned away from her from Azusa as the second-year student rose back to her feet.

"Goodbye for now Yui-senpai. Please, find it in your heart to smile once more." With those words, Azusa crossed the door and left the room before she slid against the wall and broke down in tears.

_I can't stand to see Yui like this. It's gotten worse than I thought, I have no choice..._

'''''

Some time later, Azusa was on her way to meet with someone. She had already long passed the route she would normally take home. She was guided by her senses, following the trail throughout the city's outskirts. Even as night reached its pinnacle of deadliness, she pursued until she finally reached the place. An oddly twisted spire of steel beams and windows. When she reached the top floor of the makeshift spire she had found him, waiting perched upon a strange looking altar.

"_**So Miss Nakano...you have finally made your decision?"**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Azusa has met with Kyuubey in the middle of the night. What has she decided upon? And will Yui ever break free of her depression? Find out in the next thrilling chapter! <strong>_


	8. Ep7: My selfish reason

**And now for my first new chapter since the reupload. I actually had about half of this written before I wrote the rest today. I just had a three month writers block at this point, but I'm hoping to finish this one off soon now. I've increased the pace a litte so I can get through the story a bit quicker as I found the first few chapters were just too long. So this should be my average length for the rest of the fanfic. So if you like medium length chapters then you should enjoy the latest chapter!**

私の利己的な理由 

The next morning, Yui woke herself up early. She couldn't recall any strange or sad dreams that night and without thinking rose up to perform her usual morning preparations.

By the time she reached the bathroom she realised something was strange. She didn't feel as down as she had yesterday. In fact, she was very eager to get out of that dark and messy room today. She cleansed her face and fixed her mangled hair before changing into some bright clothes (loud was the only word associated with her wardrobe) and heading downstairs.

It was a Sunday and the sun had only just broken through the clouds, still lurking around from yesterday. But the weather didn't seem to bother Yui today, she noticed downstairs was still dark and empty. She must have woken up before her younger sister.

_I suppose since I spent all of yesterday sleeping I must've woken up a lot earlier today. _Was Yui's conclusion as she made herself some toast.

"Ohayou, Onee-chan..." A scrappy-eyed Ui yawned as she strolled downstairs – unlike her sister she was still in her pyjamas. "Hang on...You're up rather early?"

Yui was in the middle of biting her toast when she muffled something. Ui walked over and gave her older sister a huge hug. "Thank goodness, I was so worried about you yesterday. Are you feeling better? I can make you something nice if you want?"

Yui continued muffling with the toast hanging between her teeth. She pulled the food article from her mouth and spoke more clearly. "I think I am feeling a little better."

Ui sobbed lightly as she strangled her sister with another warm embrace. "Please don't make Ui worry like that again, if you have any problems next time, please let me or someone else know so you don't bottle things up and make it worse for yourself."

Yui smiled and curled an arm around to hug her sister back. "Sure thing sis'."

'''''

Yui tapped her feet as she put on her shoes ready to go out and explore the world for another weekend. "I'm going!"

Ui waved from the door like a caring motherly figure would do. "Take care!"

Yui felt much more rejuvenated compared to yesterday. Her rapid mood change even made herself worry, but before she could dwell on it too much she was back in her own childish world, keen on making up for a day wasted.

'''''

The first place Yui decided to go was her friend Azusa's, she thought it was only fitting that she thank her for coming over yesterday and trying to perk her spirits back up.

"Azu-nyan?" Yui pressed the apartment's doorbell. She peered through the door-hole but no-one came out. "Azu-nyan are you in there?" Yui pressed it again. _Where did she go? Maybe she's gone out early too._

Yui sighed but then shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Oh well, I'll just have to look for her elsewhere." She turned around and was startled by Kyuubey's sudden appearance. "Ahh! How long have you been there?"

"_**Good morning Miss Hirasawa. You seem a lot more cheerful than you were yesterday – according to Miss Nakano at least."**_

"Did Azusa-chan see you yesterday?" Yui spoke out loud, possibly forgetting that she needn't do so with Kyuubey.

"_**Of course! She seemed very concerned about your slump into depression."**_

_Azusa-chan...Was worried about me?_

"_**Very much so...I was just surprised she came to see me..."**_

"Do you know where she is now?" Yui leant down so she could be mere level with the supernatural creature.

"_**Sorry but I can't trace her every movements, but I'd be more than happy to accompany you around if your searching for her as well."**_

"Arigato Kyuu-chan!" Yui patted the tiny creature who rolled over and purred in response.

"_**Ahh that feels nice – NO WAIT – I'm serious now, let's get going." **_Kyuubey jumped back on its paws and walked by Yui's side. As much as he hated that nickname, he shamefully admitted to himself that Yui's affection felt pretty damn good!

'''''

MEANWHILE

HACK. SLASH. STAB. Loud noises were being generated on one of the more obscure areas of Town. Thankfully no civilians were around to witness the shocking beast which crashed to the ground in all its two-storey height glory.

As the giant tophat-wearing slug-frog began dissolving into fine dust, its killer wiped away the blood from her sword, catching her breath after her third kill that day.

_Fighting witches...Is such a tiring job..._

'''''

LATER THAT EVENING:

"No luck finding Azusa huh?" Yui pouted as she crashed onto a park bench. Her little critter friend happily parked himself on top of Yui's lap as he rested his head in between her legs.

"_**Ahh...so this is what denim jeans feel like?"**_

"Huh?" Yui looked down at Kyuubey who seemed to be making himself quite at home with Yui's lap.

"_**Oh sorry...I got a little carried a way again." **_The supernatural creature sat on his hind legs and shook his head like a dog. **_"As for Asuza, I'm sure she's alright. The two of you can catch up in school tomorrow."_**

"Mmm...I guess so..." Yui declared her thoughts very externally again. "Alright pal, let's go home and find you some din-din!" Yui picked her 'pal' up underneath his armpits. A young couples walking by noticed the strange girl who otherwise appeared to be talking and playing with an imaginary friend.

_Ohh that's right...People can't see you right?_

Kyuubey's expression never changed, but you could imagine a tiny vein popping in his football shaped head at that point. _**"Yes...Oh and one more thing Yui..."**_

_Hmmm?_

"_**Don't ever say the words 'pal' or 'din-din' again!"**_

'''''

"HAAAHH!" The witch slayer had quickly taken down another roaming beast, slicing off its arms before driving her blade into its gut. Purple witch blood spewed from its mouth and splashed across her small frame, covering her head to toe in Witch soup. When the job was done, she wiped the purple mess off her sword using her blue cape before she knelt down and picked up the grief seed. When she was about to replenish her power and reward herself for another victory, she heard a voice inside her head.

"_What are you doing?"_

_Excuse me? Who's there?_

Another pair of slender legs made their way into the dark alley. "You were not meant to do this to yourself. Why did you become a Magical Girl?"

_I had no other choice._

The other girl shook her head in disappointment. "The same mistakes will just be repeated over and over again until you learn the harsh reality of being a Magical Girl."

CATCH. The first girl threw her grief seed over to the other girl who easily caught the black gem in her left palm. "Why are you giving me this."

_Go ahead and take it...I've already had plenty today...And besides, we're all still friends aren't we?_

'''''

THE NEXT DAY:

Another week had just begun and Yui had raced off to school in a much more energetic mood than before. Her high spirits were even beginning to worry herself now as she tried bringing herself back into reality.

_Tsumugi won't be coming back...And everyone save Azusa and myself remember her. But no matter how much I dwell on that horrible incident – the tears won't come out...Could I be bottling something up? Or am I just becoming naturally adaptable to stress. _

"Wait a minute." Yui stopped in front of the gates with a finger to her chin as she looked up at an imaginary lightbulb. "When was the last time I ever had such a deep thinking monologue?"

"Good Morning Yui." Nodoka stopped and caught up with her oldest friend by the gate.

"Ohayou, Nodoka-chan!" Yui leaned her head over and smiled in her usual greeting.

"You sound like your back to your usual self again." Nodoka pressed a hand to her heart in relief. "The other day, you were acting very strange, talking about that girl named Tsukiumi or something..."

_It seems Nodoka still hasn't remembered Tsumugi yet. _"Oh yeah, sorry I scared you back then." _But there's no use burdening her with Tsumugi's loss...It's not really her fault she cannot remember her..._

"Well shall we go inside?" Nodoka was eager to begin her day.

And so too – it seemed – was Yui, who nodded sharply. "Unn!"

'''''

Yui breathed a sigh of relief when she finally found her tiny pigtailed friend in the clubroom alone. "Hey Azu-nyan! How have you been?"

Azusa broke out of her little daydream and jerked her head towards Yui. Her little jaw dropped when she noticed the healthy aura had returned to her friend and she could only she tears of joy when she saw the ditzy brunettes fluffy smile one more time. "~Yui-Senpai!"

Yui caught the joyous girl in her arms and laughed in humility as she shrugged off her cries of happiness. "Now-now, what's gotten into Azu-nyan all of a sudden."

Azusa wiped away her tears and looked up to her Senpai with shimmering eyes. "When I came to your house on Saturday, I was so worried that you might enter a spiral of depression. But to see you like this again. "Azusa sniffed as she held back more tears. "Why it really is a miracle."

"Hehe..." Yui squeezed out an arm and scratched the back of her frizzy hair. "Well I'm about as surprised as you are Azu-nyan. Yesterday I just kinda woke up and it was all out of my system." Yui rolled her eyes across the room as she continued her banter. "I thought losing a friend would hurt a lot more than this but now it seems I can make it through anything."

Azusa smiled and let go of her Senpai. "Well that's good to hear. But of course the three of us will never forget about Mugi-chan."

"Yeah...Wait three? So somebody else has remembered Mugi-chan?"

"Unn." Azusa nodded. "Mio-Senpai was there when it happened afterall...She was only pretending to forget."

"Oh..." Yui tilted her head, still slightly confused. "Well that makes our little Tsumugi club thirty percent larger now!" The brunette beamed.

"You mean fifty percent Yui-Senpai." The kind little rhythm guitarist reminded her senior.

"Yo! Why don't I hear any jammin' between you pair?" Ritsu made her usual loud entrance followed by her polar opposite Mio.

Asuza faced the drummer. "We were waiting for you two so we could all practice together."

Ritsu held her thumb and index finger to her chin and smirked. "Good idea, it seems like forever since had a good ol' jam together."

The quartet performed their usual songs with their usual gusto. However both Yui and Azusa knew that their sound would never be the same without the heartwarming melody provided by Tsumugi's keyboard. In their opinion, the music may have had soul, but it no longer had its heart.

"Nice job everyone." Ritsu praised her three band members. "We should have something great to show off for the Grad-Assembly."

Asuza put down her Fender Mustang and frowned. _We're just not complete without you, Mugi-Senpai..._

'''''

A SHORT TIME LATER THAT EVENING:

The other girls had left early, Yui stayed behind so she could clean up. She enjoyed the feeling of being away from her room for a while. She believed she could still be happy whilst out in the fresh air, reminding herself that there was more to life than a lost friend.

_But what would Mugi-chan think if I kept acting so cheerful like this? Wouldn't she fell upset or lonely if I kept smiling and laughing?_

Yui continued mulling over her feelings as she left the school and began her walk home. She was mulling her thoughts over so much she ended up bumping into the back of one of her classmates.

"Oh, Nodoka-chan? Sumimasen...I really should've been paying attention back there."

Either Nodoka was very forgiving to her friend or she had just compeltely flipped her off. But for some reason the bespectacled Student Council President was waltzing away in another direction.

_I hope I didn't upset her. _The ignorant Yui didn't dwell on it too much and continued her walk. Though she had reached less than three paces before more of her classmates cut across her path as they followed Nodoka's direction. "Hey, where are you all going?" Yui was perplexed by their combined walking trip and followed, speaking into other girl's ears to try and find out what the big attraction was all of a sudden.

"How come nobody is telling me anything?" Yui grew frustrated as she noticed their synchronised steps and slightly forward leaning walking gait – a kind of posture akin to a zombie.

"Hey Nodoka-chan, why is everyone acting all-" Yui froze in shock when she noticed the almost dead colour in Nodoka's eyes – dull and grey like a cloudy pond. When she tried pushing against her friend Nodoka persisted with her pace – like a robot on a programmed pathway.

_Nodoka-chan...My classmates...What is making them act like this?_

Then as Nodoka finally broke past Yui's resistance, Yui noticed the black crest carved onto her neck.

"_...When they are branded with a Witch's curse then they are drawn to their maze like moths to a flame..."_

"Oh my God!" Yui gasped as she finally realised what was controlling her friend's. "A Witch's Curse?" Yui shook Nodoka firmly as she tried shaking the poor girl back into her senses. "Nodoka-chan! Please stop this! You're falling into a Witch's trap! Please stop before they eat you!"

The rest of the class were already advancing ahead of Yui and Nodoka as she still tried holding back the entranced girl. _I can't stop all of my class! If only Mugi were still alive, or perhaps Mio will appear...I am powerless to stop them!_

As the group of possessed students reached a dimly lit lane, a large creature became visible from the darkness. A Witch with a spider's body and a cricket's head crawled ever closer to Yui's friends as she screamed for some miraculous saviour to just fall from the sky just like in the movies.

_Please...Somebody has to stop them before they..._

SWOOSH. A flash of sky blue danced across Yui's vision as the blur darted over to the spider-cricket Witch, creating two flashing arcs with a shining silver blade. The monster stood still for a few more seconds before its body split in three. Like turning off a tap, it seemed as soon as the spider had been cut down, its invisible web of puppetry had ceased, causing all of the cursed student to collapse to the ground unconscious.

The Magical Girl picked up her Grief Seed and was about to be on her way when she found Yui behind her. The Magical Girl, donning a blue outfit with a broad cape and sword, was definitely not Mio. And her black pigtails and innocent eyes, always looking for her Senpai – her mentor's approval, further confirmed that this was a new member of the Magical Girl club.

Yui blinked three more times until she uttered one simple word.

"Why?"

The Magical Girl who goes by the name of Azusa kept her eyes focused on the ground as she answered. "Because I wanted to see you smile again..."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Azusa has become a Magical Girl and confesses her wish to Yui. How will Yui handle another one of her close friends putting their life on the line for her own sake? Find out in the next revealing chapter!<br>**_


	9. Ep8: Feeling ditched

捨て感じ

"Azusa, you became a Magical Girl?" Yui was still awestruck by the second-year student's new form. "After what happened to Mugi-chan...How could you?" Yui almost seemed angry at her at that point. Insulted that her friend would throw her life away by choosing Mugi's path.

"You don't understand Yui-senpai, I became a Magical Girl for your sake." Azusa walked over and tried to calm her friend. But Yui pushed her away in anger.

"No...I don't want to see what happened to Mugi-chan happening to you." Yui was forcing herself to cry at that point but found herself frustrated when the tears just wouldn't come. "Have you already forgotten that night?"

"Yui..." Azusa dragged out that name as the brunette stormed away. Azusa looked down at her sword, gazing into her melancholy reflection on the flat of the blade.

"_**And what will your wish be Miss Nakano?"**_

"_My wish, is for Yui to never have to feel sadness again..."_

Azusa threw her sword into the wall, the metal clanging against the ground with violent force. The girl who had given her wish to Yui fell to her knees and sobbed onto her skirt.

_Why do I try so hard...but nothing good ever results?_

_'''''_

TUESDAY MORNING:

Yui was shocked to find that none of the students had any recollection of last night's events. Even when she resorted to her smartest and most reliable friend Nodoka, she was just as dumbfounded about Yui's story as the rest.

_Nodoka-chan and all the others were going to be eaten by that witch...Yet they don't seem to remember anything about it...The Witches curse sounds really scary if it takes away your memories as well._

With the school year reaching its end and only the final exams remaining, class activities were kept brief, allowing Yui to stroll over to her second home – the clubroom.

"Yu-iiiii!" A scornful voice greeted the brunette as she entered the room. Only Ritsu was present at this point. The headband wearing chick uncrossed her legs and leapt off her seat as she stormed towards Yui. "Why didn't you tell me you girls were in some cool Magical Club?"

"Um...Wait what?" Yui suddenly realised that their cover had been blown by none other than their eccentric drummer.

"How dare you leave your ol' pal Ritsu out of the club." The said person slapped a hand on Yui's shoulder as she continued. "I want in, so tell me what I have to do."

If this had been a mere week ago, Yui might have laughed at Ritsu's antics. If this had been before the tragic loss of Tsumugi Kotobuki, Yui might have even played along. But instead, Yui could only lower her head and frown at Ritsu's discovery. "You, think it's fun? You think what Mio-chan and now Azusa-chan have to do is a game? You have no idea how many tears I've shed since we discovered the world of magic...I won't let you throw away your life either Ricchan, so please, just forget about anything that you may have seen."

"But I saw that little white ferret the other day!" Ritsu pleaded with a tone that contradicted her usual high-spirited banter. "I followed him around all day until I saw you and Azusa fighting that weird animal! It was totally awesome and I wanna get in too!"

"NO YOU CAN'T!" Yui shouted as she grabbed Ritsu's shoulders. "You mustn't! I don't want to see you do this to yourself."

"Yui..." Ritsu uttered the brunettes name with a serious tone. "You're acting strange, this isn't normally like you?"

"You mean how I usually laugh and joke around with you and the others while we have Tsumugi's tea? Is that what you mean?" Yui jumped onto the defensive again.

"Again I thought I told you I don't know who this Tsumugi friend of yours is."

Yui struggled to excrete her tears of anguish but she knew the sadness was still inside her when she spoke. "We can never be normal ever again...I should never have taken that stupid dream seriously, then Mugi-chan would still be alive and Azusa wouldn't have to throw away her life like this."

Ritsu sighed as she backed away from Yui. "Well, I might see if Mio's in your club and ask her about it then." As the drummer left the room, Yui was left with little confidence about Ritsu's intentions.

_I couldn't stop her...I just hope Mio can talk her out of it..._

'''''

WEDNESDAY:

Neither Azusa or Mio had appeared in school yesterday, and it was looking like they might skip classes again today. Yui continued mulling over her concerns for not only Azusa, but also Ritsu, barely taking in any of the teachers instructions about the final exams.

_Just two days until finals, and I can't even focus on that anymore...What if being a Magical Girl takes away all your time to study or have any fun? What if Azusa and Mio are now stuck with their duty as Magical Girls forever? _

"_Yui...Yui..._HEY YUI!" Yui was thrown back into the school world by her teacher's calls. "Have you been listening to word I just said?"

Yui looked down at her shoes and rose out of her chair, her disorganised brown hair draping over her her eyes. "Excuse me Sawako-sensei, I'm not feeling too well...May I leave early."

And without even looking to see if her teacher had approved, Yui slowly trudged out of the classroom. Most of the students watched her as she left, confused at Yui's strange behaviour. Yet Yui no longer cared how those others may think about her, she just had to find answers...

She had to find Kyuubey.

'''''

ON TOP OF AN ABANDONED APARTMENT BUILDING:

Azusa quickly cleaned up another witch. She observed the grief seed with a sense of childish curiosity.

_Why do they call these things Grief seeds anyway?_

"Azusa..." Mio glided down onto the rooftop a few metres behind Azusa.

Azusa turned to face her Senpai. "Oh, sorry Mio-senpai." Azusa's eyes glanced down at the black gem in her palm then back to Mio. "Would you like this?"

"No." Mio bluntly answered. "I don't need those anymore."

Azusa frowned at her Senpai's gloomy attitude as she began to infuse the Grief Seed's contents into her own skin.

Mio walked over to the building's edge and rest her elbows on the railing overlooking the city's expanse maze. "I should warn you to stop this before you get too ahead of yourself."

Azusa turned back to her Senpai, noticing her long black hair dancing behind her in the breeze. "But why? I mean can't we work together?"

_Because Azusa I need you to... _"Because you have no idea what you're really dealing with."

Azusa grinned as she reverted her blue armour back into her normal school uniform. "I'm glad you're looking out for me Senpai but I think I'm handling these witches fairly easily."

_CHIGAU! _"You're wrong...Those witches pale in comparison to Grauegeräusch..."

"Guraow guroi-" Azusa was already tongue tied by this particular Witch's name.

"Grauegeräusch*, one of the most powerful Witches known in existence. And it is expected to make its appearance by next week."

"But Senpai, why are you telling me not to help you fight this enemy?' Azusa pleaded with her idealist nature.

_Because Yui will..._ "Because you're not ready to fight Witches of this calibre."

"Mio-Senpai..."

'''''

"Hmm...Guess none of them are gonna show up today either." Ritsu was about to pack up and leave the clubroom when she saw the creature sitting on the windowsill.

"It's you!" Ritsu shouted, quite amazed at the mysterious, almost out of this world-like creature.

"_**Good afternoon Miss Tainaka...Would you like to do me a favour?"**_

'''''

Meanwhile, Yui found herself walking along more of the assorted streets which made up her town. The airhead had found herself lost in thought yet again – only this time instead of thinking about cupcakes and rainbows, her thoughts were occupied by doubts and uncertainty.

_Kyuubey...Why do you want us to become Magical Girls? Is it really just to fight Witches?Why do my friends have to suffer to become a Magical Girl? Why can't we just go back to when Tsumugi was still around...I miss her cakes and tea...I miss the sound of her Keyboard...I miss those eyebrows...And I miss her smile..._

_Kyuubey...What do you really want with us?_

…

SMASH. The sound of milk containers falling sparked the young pigtailed girl into action. "Another Witch?" Azusa virtually jumped into her Magical Girl outfit as she leapt off the building and onto the narrow lane where the new Witch was located.

"Azusa..." Mio hopeless called her name. "You fool..."

"GRN!" Azusa grit her teeth as she held back the beast's dozen limbs with her sword. She parried its limbs as she tried to cut into its thick armoured body. "AGH!" Azusa felt its multi-jointed arms coiling around her body. She channelled her magical energy into her blade is it began glimmering a sky blue and vibrating with the sound of a high-pitched chainsaw. The enchanted blade seemed to have increased its cutting ability tenfold as she sawed into the Witch's arms, freeing herself from its clutches.

"Now!" Azusa was about to cleave her way into its vulnerable abdomen when she saw someone behind the beast.

"_Azusa?"_

"_Yui-Senpai?"_

"YUI! RUN AWAY!" But the beast detected the other girl's presence as it turned around and grabbed her. "NO!" Azusa leapt high into the air and dug her sword deep into its thick hide, splashing thick purplish-black blood onto her otherwise majestic blue outfit. She wrenched the blade through its flesh but struggled to pull it back out. "URGH! NO SENPAI!"

"KYAH!" Yui struggled to breath as the beast tightened its extra long arms around her body and throat.

Azusa cursed as she kept tugging at her sword, using all her strength to free her blade. But the beast's body was refusing to give up the sword much like the Excalibur Stone.

As the life began fading from her Senpai's eyes, Azusa began to despair for her another friend that she may soon lose.

_Yui-senpai...I want to save you, but I'm just not strong enough...Please forgive me..._

SHWOO. A blur of red light came across the narrow alley. The beast suddenly paused, uttering a strange howl before its body cracked open into two halves. The beast's sticky, syrup like blood oozed out of its hollow shell as it loosened its grip on Yui.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa jumped over the beast's remains as she carefully caught Yui with her free arm. "Yui-senpai! Are you alright? Please tell me you're alright!" Azusa poured her tears onto the brunette's soft face.

Yui slowly opened her eyes and saw Azusa looking down on her with tears splashing onto her cheek. "Azusa..."

"Thank goodness." Azusa wrapped her hands around her Senpai as she continued sobbing over her shoulder.

"**That was freaking awesome!**" Suddenly Azusa could hear a familiar voice coming back from the fallen Witch. Yui and Azusa were both shocked to discover their saviour who had torn the Witch in two. At first she was unrecognisable without her school uniform - substituted by a long red sleeveless garb and black stockings which rose to her thighs. But when they saw the now fiery red headband holding back her fair hair, and those sharp eyes which always burned with a passion for excitement and adrenaline, they both knew their could only be one person this new Magical Girl could possibly claim to be.

And as the Crimson-clad Magical twirled her spear across her body like the drumsticks she wielded in her human form – Yui was devastated to find that the band of Magical Girls was virtually complete.

But before Yui could begin to ask her friend, why she too had to give up her life to the world of Magical Girls, she was already upon Azusa, her spear colliding with Azusa's sword in a brilliant display of sparks brighter than the core of the sun.

"RITSU WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Azusa shouted to the aggressive drummer.

"Hehe, I'm just paying you all back..." Ritsu explained with a sly smirk. "Paying you all back, for trying to ditch me from all this fun!"

* * *

><p><strong>*The name of the Witch is <strong>**Grauegeräusch** (pronounced Gurauweh geroish) **which (according to Google at least) translates to 'Grey-Noise'**. **I could of went with the original witch from PMMM but I thought I'd make an original Antagonist for this one.**

**_Ritsu has now made a contract with Kyuubey and become the fourth member of Hokago Tea Time to become a fighter of Witches. But now, in a surprise act, she has turned on one of her best friends. Will Yui succumb to the temptation of a wish and become the final girl to fall under Kyuubey's spell? Don't miss the next dramatic chapter!_**


	10. Ep9: Fight to die

**I cover a few of the mid-later episodes of Puella Magi in this chapter. In my aim to keep this down to about 12 or 13 chapters now, I'm going to get straight to the main** **events from the Puella Magi series so you readers don't get too bored. I've got some extra momentum to finish this one off soon now so enjoy the latest episode (especially the two and a half pages worth of Ritsu vs Azusa in this chapter)!  
><strong>

死ぬために戦う

"RITSU PLEASE STOP THIS! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO FIGHT AZUSA?" Yui's cries were left languishing as the Crimson magical Girl began her onslaught on Azusa's position.

"Ritsu!" Azusa bit her lips as she held up her sword defensively. Ritsu lifted herself off her feet and twirled in a full revolution before swiping the heel of her foot against Azusa's temple. The pigtailed student let out a brief squeal as she flung into the alley wall, but recovered in time before Ritsu could skewer her body with her enchanted spear. Azusa rolled out of the attack and tried increasing her distance by backing away from the aggressive drummer. But Ritsu leapt into the air before jabbing out her spear like a javelin, the staff growing as it descended onto Azusa's position.

"Azusa watch out!" Yui called out to her friend as the Blue-clad magical Girl back flipped away from the spear extending attack. Azusa fanned out her arms as she summoned several stakes made of ice from the ground. The icy spikes causing Ritsu to pull back from her offensive a little before Azusa took the advantage and jumped over her ice shield, descending upon Ritsu's position with her sword raised.

"I don't know what's happened to you Ritsu but..." Azusa cut herself off as her steel grinded against the solid timber of Ritsu's new drumstick.

"I knew you guys always liked pulling my leg back in the clubroom, but now that I see what you're really like... " Ritsu began as she pushed Azusa off her staff with a parry.

"Ritsu, there's no need to fight Azusa...We're supposed to be friends!" Yui pressed her hand to her chest as if she spoke from deep within her heart. "Have you forgotten that as well!"

Ritsu let out a cheeky grin as she spun around in another spear dance before jabbing her bladed staff towards Azusa. Azusa had to utilise the cramped environment to her advantage by bouncing off the walls before holding out her leg in a falling kick. But the little Magical warrior could not match the speed or skill of her Senpai as Ritsu ran up one side of the wall before digging the blade of her spear into the ground and using the momentum to send a double thrusting kick into Azusa's tinier frame.

"Azusa!" Yui ran over to tend to her friend as she hit the ground.

"I should have wished for a stronger opponent when I made that contract with the little ferret thing." Ritsu swiped her spear down as it shrank to its original size.

"Why did you make a contract with Kyuubey?" Yui demanded through her now suppressed tears. "You don't have any idea what you're getting into with that little man."

Ritsu laughed in a twisted and devious manner as she lifted a hand to her mouth. "Yui, you still say some of the dumbest things...You're a classic-"

"DON'T AVOID MY QUESTION!" Yui retorted in a sudden outburst that even made Azusa lean away from her slightly. "What made you suddenly want to become a Magical Girl? You had no idea of such a thing before today...So what did he do to make you become one?" Yui's tone was more low and serious than ever before now. Yui had already bore witness to the horrifying death of one of her classmates and, now she needed to know why another one of her best friends was sacrificing their lives for this mysterious creature.

"Wow Yui...You really have changed." Ritsu cocked her head as she spoke with dark intent in her voice. "You're not the fun airhead that used to stuff up Guitar practise...You're not the wild child who would randomly run across the street and pat a stray dog or help an old lady across the road." Ritsu's eyes narrowed as she peered her head in closer towards the two terrified and confused classmates. "**Yui Hirasawa...Just what the hell are you playing at with me?**"

Yui's eyes suddenly widened in shock and near total despair. This was definitely NOT the Ritsu she had grown a strong bond with in the clubroom for all those years. This was not the kind and jovial headband wearing drummer who kept the band together in times of crisis.

_No..._Yui confirmed to herself..._This person is no longer Ritsu..._

"NOOOOO!"

Yui's screams echoed across the otherwise quiet and obscure alley as Azusa suddenly picked herself back up off the ground and went in for round 2 against Ritsu. "How dare you Ritsu! How dare you bring Yui into this mess!" Azusa slashed wildly against Ritsu's spear, the blonde drummer stumbling further backwards with each slamming strike of Azusa's blade against her spear. "I don't care if you were my friend once..." Azusa roared above the howling noise of her blades cutting through the air with each rapid movement of her sword. "I don't care...BECAUSE I WON'T LET ANYONE HURT YUI-SENPAI EVER AGAIN!"

"So you're grovelling beneath Yui's shoes as well huh?" Ritsu coyly answered as she quickly turned back the tables and bashed the butt end of her spear against Azusa's left shoulder. "I guess it's too late for you too as well..."

"What is that supposed to m-GUGH!" Azusa breath was literally taken from her body as she felt the brutal impact of the butt end of Ritsu's staff punching square below her sternum, knocking the wind out of her and making her bring up mouthfuls of bloody saliva in the process.

"No..." Yui was still trembling, too mortified to get up and help her friend. She still had the haunting image of Ritsu's face at that moment in time. It was as if she was staring into the eyes of a monster.

"Kack-Hugh-Ugh!" Azusa spluttered up more bloody soup as she propped her chest and head up with an elbow to the asphalt ground. _It was just a blow to my stomach...but if feels as if half my organs have been crushed with that one hit...What kind of power does Ritsu possess?_

Azusa's thoughts were wiped by the shining sight of Ritsu's spear tip, hovering before her eyes. "Once I deal with you, I'll be able claim all the Witch's Grief Seeds, unrivalled!" As Ritsu pressed the sharp tip of her blade against Azusa's tiny throat she noticed a smirk slowly creep up the rhythm guitarist's face.

"Y-yo...u'r...e wr-r...ong..."

Before Ritsu could even lift an eyebrow she was finding herself evading several swords as they rained down from the heavens. She jumped behind both Yui and Azusa before she felt like she hat reached a dead end. But she found no wall behind her. As she tried to move forward she found her tracks stopped again by another seemingly invisible barrier. "What the hell is this?"

"You fell into my trap easy enough..." The gentle voice of Mio finally arrived on the scene as the shy Bassist gently lowered down to the earth, seemingly defying both gravity and physics with her invisible barrier. "I'm disappointed to see you've made a contract with that incubator as well I see."

"In...cu...bator?" Azusa said between laboured breaths."

Mio stamped out a foot as she made her revelation clear to her three unfortunate band members. "That creature you have gained your powers from. He is an in-Kyuubey-tor..."

Mio's presence suddenly woke Yui out of her brief trance. When she heard those words she finally realised the reason behind Mio's odd behaviour that day...

"_Please Yui! Don't tell me anymore! Just forget about it okay! I know what you're like anyway, coming up with strange tales. Just let it go!"_

_Mio knew about the consequences of us becoming Magical Girls from the beginning..._And then she recalled another subtle remark the black haired classmate had made before Mugi's tragic demise.

"_There is a lot more to being a Magical Girl than Mugi and Kyuubey have bothered to explain."_

As Mio picked up an injured Azusa off the ground she gave half a glance back to Yui. "You should come along with me too." Mio's words sounding more bereft of emotion and colour than ever before. "There's much we need to discuss..."

'''''

LATER:

The trio finally found themselves inside Mio's apartment. The two confused girls were led in by Mio who showed them to their seats by the table.

The unit could best be described as quite plain, with no pictures donning the blank white walls and no ornaments, statues or decorations scattered around the house. It felt quite sad really; and Yui couldn't help but contrast her own lively bedroom to this place. It felt like this was the room of someone who had been deprived of all the wonder and joy of this world – like they had been robbed of their very essence, their very life itself.

"I'm relived we finally have a chance to talk whilst Kyuubey is not around." Mio quickly glanced over to the one window in the apartment room just be make sure they weren't being watched. "I should firstly apologise to Yui for my odd behaviour lately as well as well as the fact I tried to feign amnesia over Tsumugi's disappearance."

Yui straitened her back as Mio addressed her. "Oh...Well that's okay Mio-chan...I didn't think you could forget about Mugi-chan so easily anyway." Yui scratched her brown locks as she humbly forgave the Bassist.

"Now that I've cleared things up with Miss Hirasawa..." Mio seemed to speak a lot more formally than usual sounding a lot more mature than her age would suggest. "I'm afraid I must tell you both now, that the person we knew as Ritsu Tainaka, is a lost cause from now on..."

"A lost cause!" Yui found herself protesting again. "But we can't just say that-"

"You saw it in her eyes didn't you?" Mio crossed one leg over the other as she probed deeper into Yui's idealism. "It appears Kyuubey has been manipulating her under our guise." The Bassist bit her fingernails as she conveyed her thoughts out loud. "Even I was totally unaware of this activity, I should have been keeping a closer eye on her as well."

"I still don't understand what you mean by 'a lost cause'?" Yui kept arguing.

Mio turned towards the window again before she faced both girls. "She's conspiring with Kyuubey now, she won't listen to any of us now."

"Kyuubey..." Yui said with a hateful tone. "What did that naughty little puppy do to her then?"

"I can't say for sure, but I just know that he's somehow sweetened the offer for her to suddenly become so interested in becoming a Magical Girl."

"Wait..." Azusa leaned forward as she interjected the conversation. "Earlier you said Kyuubey was an 'Incubator'. What did you mean by that?"

Mio uncrossed her legs and narrowed her eyes. "It's time you knew the truth about what Kyuubey is really after with us Magical Girls...**You see what Kyuubey desires the most from us all is...**"

'''''

The events of the last few days had shaken up the lives of a bunch of band members from the Light Music Club. But noone had undergone more earth shattering trauma than Yui, who now had come to the realisation that being a Magical Girl was not as fun or exciting as it made itself out to be. She now realised that the furry little critter which she had even called Kyuu-chan at one point was in fact a deceitful monster – possibly more vile and despicable than the very Witches they were up against.

It had all been such a mesmerising turn of events over the last few days, that Yui was completely caught off guard by the fact it was already Friday. Did Thursday just skip past unannounced? Was there an error in the time-zones all of a sudden?

No...Yui knew it was Friday...There was no avoiding it. Whilst herself and her friends may be undergoing some radical changes and hearing concepts beyond this world, the rest of the world moved on as always. Witches and Magical Girls may perform in a dynamic theatre of battle, but time remained a constant, and Yui was now finding herself before a small wooden desk with a sheet of paper and pencil in front of her.

"You may now begin your exam..." as the other students tore into their sheets with their pencils, Yui was trying to find the others in the room. She knew Azusa would be in her own class of course, but she had to make sure Mio and Ritsu were somewhere in the exam hall.

_Ah! There's Mio-chan..._ Yui caught sight of the long-haired girl near the front of the hall, already hunched over her desk and straight into her exam. Yui didn't have to trail her eyes too far away from the Bassist before she found Ritsu sitting right next to her.

_Everybody seems to be acting normal at school...It seems as though none of that stuff even happened the other day...But I can't forget...I won't forget the way Ricchan looked at me that day..._

"_Yui Hirasawa...Just what the hell are you playing at with me?"_

"Ahem..." Yui was startled out of her thoughts by her teacher Sawako. She quickly put her head down and began the test, filling in the answers without a second of consideration – her mind and body situated in two places at once...

When the test was finally over, Yui's conscious had somewhat eased as a result of the the tedious distraction she had found herself engaged in. When the students poured out of the hall, she noticed Mio take Ritsu's hand as they paced out of the hallway.

"Where is Mio going with Ritsu?" Yui asked herself as she filed out of the hall at the tail end of the group.

'''''

On the rooftop of the one of the school buildings, Mio and Ritsu glanced into each other's eyes, gazing into each other's soul.

A cool breeze swept past them, lifting Mio's hair across her face as she spoke first. "We really haven't been practising lately."

Ritsu cocked her head, smiling. "Yeah I know right, there's just been so many distractions lately huh?"

Mio's eyes narrowed further. "Now that we've done our finals, all that awaits us is our Graduation Assembly next Friday."

Ritsu face-palmed her forehead as she tusked to herself. "Oh and we're supposed to be playing our songs for them too eh? I guess we're really in a jam now Mio-chan?"

"Ritsu..." Mio hesitated before she spoke again. "We've known each other before the band reached its roots...We have been best friends before we even entered high school."

Ritsu was suddenly confused at Mio's dramatic sounding speech. "Hey what's with this sappiness? I mean we're all enrolled in the same college next year so it's not like we ain't seeing each other ever again."

"I'm afraid..." Mio bit her tongue as she closed her eyes. "We have always been an odd couple of friends, and our paths need not always be parallel. But I just hope that you're making the right choices for yourself."

Ritsu blinked a few times before responding to Mio's sound advice. "You're right Mio...How could I ever let you down of all people?" And with those words the lively blonde rushed over and ruffed through Mio's long hair, surprised at Mio's lack of reaction this time. "Hehe, well I promise the four of us will get together for a massive jam session on Monday!" And, as if she had forgotten about her fight against Azusa just the other day, the eccentric headband wearing drummer left Mio to reflect upon herself alone on the rooftop.

_I just couldn't say it...I just couldn't say anything to stop her again..._

'''''

"Onee-chan, you're not hungry?" Ui called out to her older sister from the kitchen. Yui remained holed up in her dark bedroom, gazing at the moon as it poured its calm light into the room.

_Kyuubey can't be trusted anymore...If he hadn't dragged us into this mess, Mugi-chan would still be alive...And yet..._

"_**...tell me what you most desire in this world...Only then can we form a contract to make you into a Magical Girl..."**_

_Is this the only way for me to go as well? Did I have any other choice from the very moment we met? Perhaps I should-_

"_Yui-chan!"_

"Azusa!" Yui shouted as she jumped off her bed. "Where are you?"

"_Yui, there's been a problem..."_

"What?" Yui poked half her body out of the window but couldn't see the twin pigtailed girl anywhere.

"_Meet us at the city park as soon as possible..."_

"What's going on? Is it another Witch?"

"_No..." _Azusa's spoke with more urgency than ever before when she conveyed the next telepathic message to her brunette Senpai. "_It's Ritsu!"_

'''''

"Ritsu you have to stop doing this!" Mio tried forming barriers and summoning swords around her friend, but the red-clad Magical Girl was far more powerful this time. She had accumulated a large number of Grief Seeds over just three days since becoming a Magical Girl and the consequences were becoming more and more evident as the spear-weilding drummer resumed her Witch's feast.

Another couple of witches stumbled into Ritsu's trap before she slayed them with her extended spear. "Isn't this what you wanted Mio? Didn't you want me to impress you by eating all the witches?"

"We have to stop her." Azusa rushed over to Mio, the two of them now in their Magical Girl attire.

"It's too late for her now..." Mio shook her head as she withdrew her multitude of swords. "She will turn into a Witch at any point."

"No!" Azusa protested as she pressed a hand to her armoured chest-plate. "There must be a way..."

"She desired this...She wanted this extra power for a reason." Mio bit her fingernail again as she felt evermore powerless in this situation. "The only thing we can do now is wait for her to change..."

Ritsu's face distorted into a sickening grin. "**Hehehe, If I eat all of them witches, I'll become the most powerful Magical Girl in all existence, then Mio-chan will HAVE to take me seriously!**" As several more Witches drew towards the park, lured by a number of cursed citizens, Ritsu arched her spear around as it began to bend like a snake. "**Now come you Witches! Let me taste some more of you!**" She snaked the jointed spear around her prey like a whip, slicing the various shapes and forms apart as their black soul containers began to appear from their remains.

This can't be happening!" Azusa shook her head as the tears began pouring. "She's already turning into a monster."

Ritsu held four more grief seeds between each finger of her hand. Against the backdrop of the full moon, Ritsu raised her hand, dangling the greif seeds over her mouth. Her fanged grin shining against the moonlight as she swallowed the entire four seeds.

"MY GOD! SHE-"

"**HAHAHAHAHAHA! WHAT D'YA THINK NOW MIO-CHAN? THERE'S NO MORE WITCHES AROUND TO EAT ANYMORE...NOW ALL THAT'S LEFT IS-"**

A damning shrill scream spread across the entire city as Ritsu began writhing on the ground in agony. "**GGRAAAAAGGGHHHH!**"

Mio pulled up her sleeve, revealing a strange attachment on her wrist, as she prepared herself for the inevitable. "It's starting now...Ritsu's transformation into a Witch..."

* * *

><p><em><strong>In a shocking twist for the K-ON girls, Ritsu has succumed to the Grief Seeds and become a Witch of her very own. How will Mio and Azusa be able to stop their best friend? Or will Yui finally give in to the tempation of saving her friends and make the ultimate contract? Don't miss the next tragic chapter!<strong>_


	11. Ep10: Raindrops of despair

**By the way, if you're still struggling to picture the Hokago girls as Puella Magi, then I've found an interesting Deviant Art picture which pretty much got them all in the right outfits (Except Ritsu, who should be dressed as Kyoko and Azusa who shouldn't be dressed as a cat!) but anyway here it is with a few spaces put in to prevent me getting in trouble.**

**ds tears. deviant art. com/ art/ Puella-Magi-K-ON-Magica-2104 90726**

**Now sorry again for the long wait, but I seriosuly hope I can make at least one person cry by the end of this chapter (please give me a review if you do, then my job here will be complete mwahaha!)...Well anyway please enjoy a long overdue chapter!  
><strong>

絶望の雨 

_Please be okay-please be okay-please don't let something happen to Ricchan - please don't let her..._

When Yui finally reached the park she put a brake on her sprint, pausing in terror as she witnessed one of her friends morphing and changing shape. Ritsu was doubling over, screaming in utter pain as her arms and legs kept bulging and shrinking, her body glowing ruby red as her human form became more and more unstable. Mio and Azusa stood by and watched on helplessly as Ritsu fell to her knees and screamed, her jaw breaking apart as thick black shapes grew out of her mouth rising into the sky and spreading their darkness across the area.

"Azusa! Mio! What's happening to Ritsu?" Yui felt like she was walking against a typhoon as she tried to reach her other friends.

"Yui-senpai!" Azusa turned back just as their entire world was engulfed by the darkness emitting from Ritsu's body.

'''''

"Where are we?" Yui rubbed her eyes as if she had woken up from a long slumber. As she wiped the crust away from her eyes, she discovered the three of them were surrounded by a wall of orange cellophane, licking and cackling ferociously like real flames.

"We've entered Ritsu's Maze." Mio stood in front of the other two girls. "Be very careful, she's a lot more powerful than your average Witch."

"What are you saying Mio-chan?" Yui grabbed onto Mio's arm. "Are you saying Ricchan's one of them now?"

Mio answered with the slight nod of her head. Yui shook her head in response. "NO! I won't accept it! Ricchan is not a Witch! How can you say that after all the things we've been though?"

"Yui-senpai..." Azusa rested her hand on Yui's shoulder. "Mio probably wants to deny it as much as you and I, but the sad truth is..." Azusa took on the burden of shedding tears for the one she denied such sadness.

"I'm sorry." Mio spoke from within her own heart. "I failed to stop any of this, and now I've caused all of my best friends to suffer." Mio turned back to her two band members with tears suddenly soaking her otherwise dry cheeks. "Please forgive me!"

The solemn moment was rudely interrupted as burning wooden effigies advanced through the cellophane flames. Azusa gripped her blade tightly as she stood in front of Yui protectively. "I won't let any of you hurt my Senpai!"

As the burning stick figures began to swarm the trio, Mio grabbed Azusa's hand and guided them through a small opening in the enemy. "This way! Hurry!"

Yui and Azusa led the flight as Mio held the rear. As they gained some ground against the pursuing flame warriors Mio gripped her shoes into the ashen ground as she held out the strange wrist-plate on her arm. "You two go on ahead, I'll stop these guys!" As the two of them continued their desperate escape towards a seemingly endless plain of fire, Mio gave them enough time to leave the area before she pressed the purple gem on the centre of her wrist-plate. The button acted as a pause button on time itself as the horde of flaming effigies halted in mid attack. Mio remained the only one unaffected by her time pause as she ran around the entire flaming warrior flanks, fanning her arms out to summon all sorts of weapons, including katanas, machine guns and rocket launchers. Mio panted as she continued sprinting across the large group of familiars, mustering up her energy to summon a few more deadly weapons for when time would resume once again.

Realising that her time in keeping time itself paused was nearly up, she returned on the same path that Azusa and Yui went on, stopping just to see the fruits of her efforts. Once the time in that small space had began to flow again the army of weapons literally exploded in their assault on the flame soldiers, slicing, smashing, shooting or obliterating their way into the cluster of enemies.

With a victorious flick of her hair, Mio began her pursuit towards the other girls – hoping that she would at least find Ritsu before they did.

'''''

"Damn! There's still so many of them!" Azusa cursed as she sliced her away through a thick jungle of flaming branches as she held tightly onto her Senpai's hand with her other arm.

"Azusa please slow down!" Yui pleaded with her younger friend as she began tiring from their marathon flight.

"We have to reach Ritsu before these guys engulf us. I won't let them devour us too Yui-senpai!" for once Yui could see a look of fierce determination in Azusa's eyes. She could no longer be regarded as the quiet and pessimistic junior from the clubroom. Azusa had become a fighter, a protector, and a warrior; maturing beyond her years in a matter of days. Yui had to believe in Azusa, she had to cling onto that tight thread of hope that she and Mio would get them out of this nightmare...and hope that they could still save Ritsu.

The two girls cut their way through the inferno of enemies until they reached the base of a large rocky mound – two maybe three storeys high, which plateaued at the top. "Come on Yui-senpai, I'll help you up."

"Iie, it's alright Azusa, I want to be strong and save Ritsu too!" The brunette declared with as much brightness as this dark situation could possibly offer.

A flock of dark winged beasts were now circling over the rocky mound, gathering possibly for something at the top of the mound. And as the flames spread across the entire landscape, just licking at Yui and Azusa's feet as they clambered up the mound. "Do you think Mio got away from all the flames?" Yui pondered in the kind of tone a worried toddler might express.

"Of course she has!" Azusa said with a strong determination. She had to believe in Mio, she needed Mio just as much as she needed Yui-senpai at that point.

And now there were just a few more ledges until they reached the summit.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

"**GAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**" The circling aerial creatures were suddenly vaporised by a strike of molten lightning in the centre of their circle. The dark smoke, feathers, bones and dust which made up the creatures – in a much more gentle pace, sunk from then heavens until they became hidden from the two girls underneath the final outcrop.

With a flinch, Yui whispered to her junior friend. "Do you think Ritsu might be up there?"

Azusa lowered her brow as she answered the brunette with a swift affirmative nod. As the echoing bang of lightning began to dissipate, the two Hokago Tea Time members stretched out their left and right hands, reaching together for the final outcrop. They both stared into each other's stony faces and with a simultaneous nod they launched their body weights, thrusting themselves onto the flat surface of the mound.

What they first uncovered when they had reached the top was that what they had just climbed was not so much a rocky mound but more of a rocky platform or could even be called a stage; there was black canvas spread across the ground on the top and the two bright moons shining in the distance acted like two hazy spotlights for the unique stage. The light from the two moons focused on something in the centre of the large stage. At the base of where the strange birds were flying just moments ago was...

A normal drumset.

"Ricchan isn't here?" Yui skipped around the drumset as she searched the flat rocky stage for the drummer. She turned away from the drums as she looked beyond the edge of the platform, hoping the headband wearer would appear somewhere.

"Yui-senpai! Behind you!"

Azusa's words shook Yui like alarm bells as she virtually found herself rolling out of a freakish wooden claw. The seemingly normal drumset had transformed into a giant monster. The bass made up most of it's belly, with the snare drum forming its head and the toms forming its limbs with the brass hats acting as shoulder-pads. Five sharpened drumsticks on each hand formed the claws as the monster smashed the sticks into its own face, opening up a tear shaped mouth. The beast then tapped its ten digits against its belly, generating the most intense blast beats know to the mortal human. With ten sticks bashing rapidly with the individual force of a pedal, the beat was at least five times more intense than even the most brutal black metal song.

"AGH! Please make it stop!" Yui covered her ears as she collapsed to her knees.

"Ricchan please wake up!" Azusa pleaded with the musical Witch. "Surely you can still recognise our voices! We are your friends afterall!"

But Azusa's pleas were met with more violent rhythms as she continued tapping her wooden fingers against her belly. The beats were louder than the epicentre of a volcano, enough to hurts your eardrums. Azusa felt like her brain would melt at any point. She grabbed her sword and went for the attack.

But she mutated drummer held out one of her clawed drumstick hands and grabbed the sword before she could cut through her skins. She clamped down on the blade before raking her other hand across Azusa's chest, tearing into her blue garb and sending her flying backwards.

"AGH!" Azusa screamed as she noticed several crimson streaks across her chest. But she used her sword as a cane and lifted herself back to her feet. She vowed not to give up, she was not going to lose another friend tonight...She would save Ritsu before the Witch consumed her entire soul.

"YAAHH!" But Witch-Ritsu didn't seem to want to be saved as she swiped a hand across Azusa's side, knocking her down again. Dirt was now getting in the pigtailed girl's chest wounds as she went back in for another strike. But no matter how strong-willed she may have been, Azusa was simply not strong enough to overcome Ritsu's ultimate form.

"Azusa!" Yui screamed across the other side of the stage. "Please just stop this! I don't want my friends to keep fighting other and getting hurt like this!"

"Yui...Senpai?" Azusa lowered her sword arm as she softened her stance. When she saw Yui's glistening eyes, just wanting to break out in tears even though they could never do so again, Azusa froze, letting her sword drop to the ground with a loud crank. She mouthed just two more words to her Senpai as the Witch came between their view.

"I'm sorry..."

"AZUSA!-!-!-!-!"

CRRRNNKKKKK! But just as Ritsu's sticks were about to bring out the final drumroll, somebody had blocked her deadly percussion, standing mid-air as she blocked Ritsu with eight of her own summoned blades.

"Mio-senpai!" Azusa was amazed to see the lustrous black haired girl had returned to their side.

"Sorry I took so long." Mio apologised with a soft smile as she turned towards her bewitched friend. "It's unfortunate that it has come to this...But I'm afraid it's too late for Ritsu...And myself." She turned her gaze away at that moment.

"Mio-senpai? Please don't tell me you're-"

But Mio answered the younger girl by cupping her two gentle hands underneath her chin, lifting her face up so she could meet her innocent eyes. "I'm afraid I've deceived you all, and you most of all Azusa-san." Mio's grey eyes were now glistening with a new tinge of hazel. "You were my last legacy before I departed this eternal world of suffering...And now you are the only one who can save Yui."

Azusa's eyes widened in shock, she had never seen Mio like this before, she was so confused and scared. She wanted to scream out to the Gods and hope they would all be back in the clubroom, still enjoying Tsumugi's tea and cakes. But all she could muster was a tearful, "I don't understand what you mean?"

And as the Demonic Drummer charged up a huge amount of fire and noise into one giant ball of heat and sound energy, Mio gave the young girl one last smile, a single tear nestling just at the base of her eyelid. "Everything will become clear very soon..." And with that Mio went over towards her opponent – her best friend...They would now put everything into one ultimate attack.

And Yui was just another helpless bystander between this horrible feud of friends. "Mio-chan! Please don't!"

But Mio gave the airy brunette another cheerful smile as she walked over to the monster which was once their best friend. Ritsu's fate was already sealed, Mio wanted to at least preserve the fate of two of her other friends. Mio waved around her hands like a conductor of a magical orchestra, summoning a dark sphere of plasma energy, cackling and spitting out branches of dark light as it grew enough to rival Ritsu's own giant fireball of supersonic destruction. She could see Ritsu's face through the monstrous snare that had consumed her head, she appeared to Mio just like her usual loud and klutzy self.

"_Hey Mio-chan! Mio-chan! Let's form a band!"_

"_What? I don't want to do that! I'm too nervous!"_

"_No it'll be way cool! I can be the drummer and you can do Bass."_

"_Uuuuggghh...Mou Ritsu!"_

"_HAHAHAHA! Then it's a yes! Here's to our new band then!"_

Mio's eyes filled with happy tears just as she was about to let go of her black plasma sphere – an attack which would consume time and space itself. "Well Ricchan...Looks like we both get to leave together in a great big bang."

And as though Ritsu were standing before her as a normal High School Student, the foxy drummer sniggered at Mio's last words. "Yeah, guess you and I both caused the most trouble out of everyone!"

Mio only needed to serve that response with a heart-filled nod as she lifted her plasma void over her head, ready to send the two of them to oblivion.

The noise from Ritsu's fireball was more ear-shattering than a thousand dying Phoenixes. One moment there was the most deafening noise comprehensible and the next moment, there was fatal silence, as Mio's lips pursed to utter her final attack...

"**Nota Nero..."**

Darkness...

Then...

Nothing but white...

Silence was met with a hollow white noise, gurgling like a giant drain, as all the colour and substance which made up Ritsu's maze was sucked away in the giant black sphere. Ritsu and Mio were already gone...Vanished into the void of anti-life itself. When the noise faded, the two remaining girls found themselves back in the park. Night had already passed over only to be replaced by a sun, greyed out with the heavy clouds of despair.

The sky would never smile again, nor would the dampness of the clouds ever waver in this cold and harsh reality. And as the rain began pouring down in its mocking bucket-loads, Azusa and Yui crawled over towards each other and held each other tightly. Their uniforms were in tatters, but their hearts were well and truly broken...Now that they were the only two left...

* * *

><p><strong><em>Mmmm...Let me taste those tears children...Whoah what the hell's up with me today!-? Sorry 'bout that<em>**...

_**Now Hokago Tea Time has lost another two great memebers and it seems all is now lost...But with the ultimate witch **Grauegeräusch****** due to appear soon, who will stand up and face this major threat! Don't miss the next dramatic chapter!**_


	12. Ep11: Grauegeräusch

グレーノイズ 

Why was she going through it all again?

Why was she going through it all again?

Why was she going through it all again?

It would keep playing back over and over again in her mind. The same outcome would always result. The same blood would stain the earth... the same tears would rain down...But what did this all have to do with Azusa?

"_You were my last legacy before I departed this eternal world of suffering...And now you are the only one who can save Yui."_

Azusa was alone in her room, soaking her pillow in many hours of grief. She didn't want to let go of Yui anymore. It was painful enough watching another two friends disappear right in front of her eyes. But returning to her home alone was the most heartbreaking thing for her. She just wanted to keep close to her only friend left...the only one who knew about the horrible world of Magical Girls and Witches.

But they had to part. They had to keep going with their lives, pretending nothing had ever happened. After all, what was the point? Everybody else would have forgotten about Mio and Ritsu now. And with Yui physically incapable of shedding tears thanks to a certain wish...All of the world's sadness would be placed upon this pigtailed girl.

"_**Perhaps it's time we made Yui a contract." **_A voice Azusa really didn't need to hear at that point.

"You knew that my friends would die didn't you?" Azusa sniffed. "You offered them impossible wishes only to let them destroy themselves...And now you want to make Yui suffer the same fate as myself."

"_**These girls all had an innate desire within themselves which they yearned to achieve. And so did you Miss Nakano. All we merely did was grant you those wishes in exchange for your energy."**_

"I should have known. You never really cared about stopping witches. You just wanted to exploit us for your own benefit." Azusa sunk her head back into her pillow of grief, not wanting to entertain that white fur-ball creature with her gaze.

"_**Would you really like Miss Akiyama's wish to be all for nothing..."**_

"What are you saying?"

"_**I am saying that your friend Miss Akiyama had a very simple wish when she became a Magical Girl...And that wish was..."**_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_No way...It's just not possible...I'm..._

"_**Why would I ever need to lie. Deception is a human concept not familiar to us."**_

Faced with this new truth. Azusa found herself at a crossroads. Would she let Yui become a Magical Girl and fight the final battle together? Or would she go it alone and save Yui from the terrible fate that being a Magical Girl entails? Could she do that, knowing now what Mio Akiyama, the peaceful bassist in their band, had become a Magical Girl in the first place for?

And could she do it now, knowing what her own true purpose was?

'''''

It would be five days until graduation...

Five days until the end of their long journey through the education system.

Five days until the five of them were supposed to cast off a wonderful year together.

But now it was only five days until the end itself.

Grauegeräusch would be arriving in just five days. But it had already felt like the end was upon just two poor souls already. Yui and Azusa would just sit opposite each each other in the dark and lonely clubroom; with the rain pouring continuously, the bonds they had formed with the band forever torn apart. There was nothing to say or do anymore...It was just simply a matter of waiting for the end to come...

…

It would be four days until graduation...

Four days until the end of their long journey through the educational system.

Four days until the five of them were supposed to cast off a wonderful year together.

But now it was only four days until the end itself.

Yui plucked the loose strings of her Gitah by the corner in the dim-lit clubroom. She hadn't bothered maintaining her guitar for the last few weeks. It had almost withered away and died itself, looking neglected and alone. Perhaps it too wished it could just let out all its sadness in a flood of tears. But neither of them could secrete such emotions. Azusa would occasionally leave the room and hang around Ui and Jun putting on another happy face and maintaining the lie that was her own existence for a little while longer. She also just wished she could throw her fists into the air and cry out those three names of the lost ones. But alas she was also trapped in her own grief...Imprisoned by a world that knew nothing of her own pain.

…

It would be three days until graduation...

Three days until the end of their long journey through the educational system.

Three days until the five of them were supposed to cast off a wonderful year together.

But now it was only three days until the end itself.

Azusa sought to find out more answers for herself. She dug deep into her own thoughts, looking out for any clues of memories, just a flicker of something that Mio may have left within her. Why would she just depart without leaving her some sort of clue...Something with which to work upon. Why did Mio bother going through all this just for nothing? Did she know all along about her friend's fates? Could she have found another way of avoiding this? Why couldn't she just be open with everyone in the first place? Now Azusa was in big trouble...But she couldn't give up just yet...She was not going to let anything happen to Yui. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life.

…

It would be two days until graduation...

Two days until the end of their long journey through the educational system.

Two days until the five of them were supposed to cast off a wonderful year together.

But now it was only two days until the end itself.

The sky was still gushing out its own tears. Riverbanks were flooding and there was even talks of closing some schools if the rain didn't let up soon.

Yui stepped into the school hall. The chairs were already set, the streamers and banners were hanging up and a set of amplifiers were stacked up over by the side of the stage.

"_Yui Hirasawa, please come onto the stage and accept your graduation slip."_

"_Arigato Sawa-chan."_

"_HAHAHA!"_

"_Hehe, she still hasn't learnt the proper way of addressing her seniors yet folks."_

"_HAHAHA!"_

"_And now, for a very special treat, our Light Music Club would like to perform their final song together...They have practised really hard so you all won't be disappointed. Here they are: Ritsu Tainaka as their drummer; Tsumugi Kotobuki on the keyboard; their Bassist Mio Akiyama, which I must say looks great in my custom made dresses..._

"_HAHAHA!"_

"_Sensei!"_

"_Sorry, Azusa Nakano is on the rhythm guitar and last but certainly not least, their outspoken airhead of a lead guitarist and vocalist, Miss Yui Hirasawa."_

"_WHOOHOO!"_

"_Go sis'!"_

"_So I'll leave them to it now...Everyone please give it up for Hokago Tea Time!"_

…

"Oh there you are."

Yui escaped from her brief fantasy and turned towards the light coming from the doorway. "Sawa-Sensei."

Yui's teacher walked across the empty hall, clanking the wooden floorboard with each step of her heels as she held out a large envelope for her brunette student. "This is for you. It doesn't look like we'll be having a formal ceremony anymore."

"Sawa-sensei..." Yui looked up at her teacher.

"Well, I'd take care in getting home if I were you." As her teacher made a turn for the doorway Yui called out to her.

"Sensei!" She almost cried out her name.

The homeroom teacher slowly turned her head back. "Is something the matter?"

Yui held her hands together, mentally piecing the words she was hoping to express. "After we graduate...Does it really mean the end of all our friendships we formed for so long?"

Sawako was quite surprised at Yui's thoughtful question and faced her. "It doesn't have to end. You can make up your own mind whether you want to continue those bonds or form new ones as you pass through the trials of adulthood."

Yui lowered her eyes, averting her gaze. "Do you think...bonds that may have been lost...can be reunited?"

Sawako adjusted her thick frames as she showed her slight puzzlement to the question. "I'm not too sure...But I guess nothing that was once strong can't be rebuilt..."

Yui looked back up to her professor with a small smile. "Thanks Sawa-sensei."

…

Today was to be the day...

Today was to be the end of a long journey through the educational system.

Today, the five of them were supposed to cast off a wonderful year together. Today they were meant to vow that they would continue their friendship and bonds throughout college life and beyond.

But now it was the day of the end itself.

The evening before today, news and radio reports were warning of a widespread flooding across the metropolitan area. Citizens were urged to evacuate to their nearest shelter. Although school had officially closed that day, it had been opened up as one of the evacuation shelters for the local citizens. Yui and her sister were already somewhere within the crowd inside the assembly hall.

"Would you like me to go over and get us some more hot chocolate?" Ui asked her older sister. But Yui seemed entranced by the constant pattering of raindrops washing against the windows. She was gazing at the uniform greyness of the sky, wondering when the sky itself would eventually fall down with the rest of the rain. "Yui? Well I'll get you one anyway just in case ~ok?"

Yui remained seated on the ground, anchored to the earth, feeling the complete heaviness of being powerless...

'''''

Somewhere atop a high building. A lone girl dressed in the city's tears waited...She waited patiently as the clouds began to swirl, blackening into a dark hole in the centre, lightning penetrated out of the dark void spreading like long legs as it reached the ground. Thick arms of cloud stretched out from the centre, forming dozens of tornadoes as they touched the ground. The mass moved forward, crawling with the advancement of each tornado limb, until it finally found a position to nest its egg. Dropping down like a giant tear-drop from the heavens, the embryo of the strongest witch was already coming to life. moulding and growing out of its soft grey shell, it swelled and throbbed with each second. Glowing then darkening before it had reached the size of a block of buildings.

Surrounded by a cage of tornadoes and storms, the entire city had become this Witch's maze, and now as it sprouted open a giant slit in its body, resembling a jaw, it made its first cries of birth, uttering out a high pitched squeal that shattered the glass of buildings and nearly knocking out the girl waiting on the building. But she dug her sword into the ground, standing strong and firm in the face of this ominous presence.

And with one last look back behind her, back at the past which she thought of as her own, Azusa launched herself off the ground and raised her blade, ready to cut down the last thing that could ever get in the way of Yui's happiness.

_Don't worry Yui-senpai. I will take this Witch down with me in memory...You won't ever feel the need to grieve for any of us...As Mio's last wish, I will end the battle between Magical Girls and Witches here!_

* * *

><p><em><strong>The final battle between Magical Girl and the most powerful witch Grauegeräusch has begun. But can Azusa take on this mega-Witch alone? And what will Yui do? With just two episodes left you cannot miss the next epic chapter!<strong>_


	13. Ep12: One last wish

最後の願い 

"I wonder if this rain will ever stop?" Ui wondered as she took a sip of piping hot chocolate. "It seems like forever since the sun last came out huh nee-chan?"

Yui held the warm Styrofoam cup by her lap, continuing her gaze at the swirling mass of grey that was building up outside. She knew Azusa was out there fighting...And Yui knew she would have to make her decision soon too...

'''''

"KAGH!" Azusa screamed as a rogue limb from the giant beast threw her into a building. She smashed into the concrete, seething as she held a hand to her ribs. "Tch...I'll stop you! You're just bigger than the others that's all!" But Azusa was left to dodge for her life when another grey tentacle smashed through the building stabbing through the structure before making a slash with it's giant arm cutting through the building as it collapsed, sending glass and debris across the evacuated city streets.

"I won't let you hurt all these people..." Azusa huffed as she tightly gripped her sword. "I WON'T!" And with that the blue-clad Magical girl summoned a dozen more sword around her body, circling around her like a giant saw cutter as she launched herself onto the beast's body.

She cut through the giant grey blob, raising huge fountains of black blood from its wound. But the beast must've only felt it like a mere scratch as it brought another thick tentacle hammering down on Azusa's tiny frame.

The poor girl rolled down the giant grey mountain that was Grauegeräusch, groaning in more pain with each hard thud against its body. But she had to endure the pain, she was a Magical Girl afterall.

"GNGH!" She dug her sword into the beast's body, cutting a huge slit down until she finally stopped just a few metres short of reaching the ground. She summoned more swords around her body, as they entered their rotating motion they acted like a cutting wheel, propelling her back up the beast's body until she reached the top. But there was no head. On this Witch, instead a giant hole, like the mouth of a volcano was visible, she crawled over towards the lip of the hole and discovered a giant swirling emptiness inside. There was no light, only the screams of thousands of Magical Girls, Magical girls which had forever been imprisoned inside this Witch, their souls forever trapped in limbo.

"No way...all these girls are-" Azusa nearly fell inside the giant void as strong gust cast over the area. She pulled herself back onto her feet and searched around for some sort of core where she could put an end to this giant witch. But instead she felt a rogue streak of lightning strike down upon her. She was thrown back off the giant beast and down onto the roof of a lower building.

_This is hopeless...I can't possibly fight this thing...It's just too large...Mio, why aren't you here to fight with me?_

Azusa felt a powerful surge running through her body, she felt warmth even throughout the torrential rain. Her armour glowed on her shoulder, chest and skirt as it grew down covering more of her body. Her hair glowed as her pigtails dropped down freely. She felt herself growing stronger, as if someone was holding her sword for extra support. When the glow faded her armour had changed into a hue of black and her hair now draped down over her body. Her hands had grown longer and more slender as she saw her reflection in the flat of her blade.

_My God...! So it really was true? I was your wish Mio...You made me in order to protect Yui and the others didn't you? Because you knew that if you kept going back, you would keep making the same mistakes and Yui would still suffer over and over again...I was your last trump card...I was the you that you had always wanted to be..._

As Grauegeräusch was about to bring down a dozen of its tentacles onto the Magical Girl, Azusa used her gift from Mio to bring a brief pause to time. She ran along one long frozen tentacle, summoning a whole swathe of guns, bombs, swords and all the weapons of the worlds she could imagine in the short time she had left.

_I may not be as good as my Senpai, but I won't let you down Mio...I'll fulfil your last wish..._

When her time was running out, Azusa leapt off the giant beast, waiting by a skyscraper rooftop as time flowed again – bringing an army of blades and guns onto the giant witch. It's entire body was being peppered with explosions and cuts. The giant Witch made a high pitched squeal like a long violin note as its body was being waged war upon. It swayed and rocked about sending more lighting strikes and storms smashing down upon the city heights.

"Now for the finishing blow-"

"Azusa?" But just as Azusa was about to summon a legion of blades for Grauegeräusch's body, she heard that voice, the voice of innocence she was trying so hard to protect. The winds kept blowing in silence as the only noise she heard was her voice "Azu-nyan...Is that really you?"

She softened up as she turned back to Yui, dissolving all her blades in her new form. "Yeah Yui-senpai...This is who I really am."

"You look just like Mio-chan." Yui said with astonishment.

"Yui-senpai..." Azusa said with a melancholic tone. "Why did you come here?"

"Because..." With her usual school uniform and black stockings just like any other day, Yui pressed her hands to her chest as she looked for her final resolve. "...I have made my decision...I want to fight with you."

"Yui no!" But Azusa was quick to snap back. "You mustn't! Mio didn't want that! And I don't want you to throw your life away either."

"_**It is her own decision...Miss Nakano, or are you Miss Akiyama now?" **_Kyuubey hopped onto the building ledge leaping across until he reached Yui's side.

"Kyuubey! I won't let you make Yui into a Magical Girl!" Azusa summoned a Glock in her left hand as she fired an explosive round into the tiny fur-ball sending furry scraps of meat and bone across the ground.

"Azusa!" Yui recoiled in shock at Azusa's violent retaliation.

But the voice returned to their minds as another Incubator appeared out of nowhere, hopping down to eat up the former Kyuubey's scraps. _**"You shouldn't get in the way of your friend's dreams...Yui has the potential to become one of the strongest Magical Girls in this universe!**_"

"I'll kill you before that can ever happen!" Azusa charged for the Incubator with her sword raised.

"AZUSA!"

Yui's cries were too late. Azusa was hit with the heavy force of Grauegeräusch's tentacle; her tiny frame sent flying through four entire buildings as they all collapsed to the ground after her impact.

"AZUSA NO!" Yui ran towards the side of the railing her tears virtually rushing away from her cheek as if to reach out and grab the girl. But they fell way too short, twinkling as they descended a long journey to the flooded city depths below.

The beast now set its invisible eyes on a new target. With an ear shattering screech, the beast knocked Yui off her feet as it brought pounding waves of air against the rooftop. It's cries smashed through all the glass and triggered more storms to focus down on the building. With Yui somehow avoiding the fatal lightning. But the lashings of electricity had ignited the building in flames. The structural damage now sending the building leaning over one side as it slowly sank in a rising sea of floodwater.

This was Yui's dream...

She was going through that dream right at this very moment. It was almost too surreal for this airhead girl, like something out of a strange Anime.

But here she was standing on the edge of a burning building, staring wide-eyed at the strangest monster she had ever seen. Its tentacles were swinging around the destroyed city like a crazy octopus. She frozen, paralysed by fear. What was this strange thing? Why was it here in her town? What did it want with her and everyone here? She could only stand in shock at it smashed everything to pieces; the very foundations of her existence. The sky was crying as a grey shadow cast over the heavens. The giant had no eyes or mouth, it was more like some sort of giant amorphous grey blob, forged from some cheesy horror movie, cut and pasted together like a pre-schooler's collage. But its roar was magnificent in its power and subversion. She suddenly had a feeling it was looking at her with its imaginary eyes. What would she do? Was she going to die right here without ever accomplishing anything in my life? Or would she fight?

SLASH. A whirr of light brushed past her vision just before the beasts tentacle could erase her from this fallen world. Its limb fell down heavily to the ground as dark purple blood oozes from the remaining stump.

She caught a glimpse of her saviour as she stabbed her sword into the beasts shoulder. Long, flowing black hair. Even in such a gruelling and disheartening battle like this, she was the most beautiful girl she had ever come across; gliding alongside the beast's back with elegance and grace. She must have been an angel, sent down to this parched earth to rescue her. She turned back briefly, revealing her face – a face of sadness and despair. Why would such a strong and beautiful girl bare such sadness?

"_**She might not be able to defeat this one...she may need you're help..."**_

Kyuubey's voice returns speaking inside Yui's head. She whirled around to face the strange creature as it hopped over to her position. Even though it looked very cute with its long rabbit like ears, fluffy squirrel like tail and its frozen doll like expression, this was the creature that had foreseen this dream. This Incubator, staring at her with its curled feline lips and opal red eyes, was the true cause of Yui's pain...And the pain of so many other girls before her...

"_**If you make a contract with me right now, we can beat this witch! All you have to do is offer me a wish and that shall be granted..."**_

The black-haired angel was slowing down, showing her exhaustion from an extended battle with the Goliath 'witch'. She produced several more swords and stabbed them into her opponent. The beast roars – screams in agony as it flings its tentacles towards her, throwing her a hundred metres into another building. She coughed up more dust and held her shoulder, but soon recovers, summoning a dozen or so swords from nowhere and sending them flying at the monster. She darts across the edge of the collapsing building dodging every tentacle as it slams down like a falling beam. When she reaches the corner, she leaps off the concrete platform and lands a hundred or more metres onto the next building, landing gently on her feet. She is caught off by yet another rogue tentacle and blown away into a giant grey wall. This time she struggles to reach her feet as the enormous paper-mache blob stomps slowly towards her.

"Oh my God! Azusa's gonna die!"

The creature hops over to my right side. _**"Then you must decide...let her live or die...it's your choice...Yui Hirasawa..."**_

"NO!" Azusa wiped the blood off her face as she went for the gigantic Witch again, fighting against this seemingly undefeatable menace...But she would continue even if all her bones were broken. Even if she was down to her final breaths.

SPLURCH." The beast caught her off guard and drove a sharpened tentacle through her gut, penetrating like a large wooden stake out of her back. Grauegeräusch sang its own distorted melody of victory as it waved around the fallen Magical Girl like trophy.

Yui was mortified...Frozen in a thick blankness...She had let this happen to Azusa...Her indecision had led to the all her friend's deaths. And now Azusa would be the next one to sacrifice herself in vain.

"KAGH!" The girl spewed up a large mouthful of blood as she held onto her sword, shakily raising it above her head. Her soaking wet hair draped across her face as she held her sword in that position, the Witch eyeing her with curiosity. It enjoyed its prey when they struggled to the very last morsel of their Soul Gem. Grauegeräusch was about to enjoy a wonderful feast tonight. "No...no...I...won't...let you...have...MY YUI!"

The black angel that was Azusa now surrounded in a glow of darkness as it expanded across the beast's tentacle stretching down to where its legs would have been. When the giant dark sphere of plasma grew to the size towering the largest building, Azusa uttered two last words.

"**Nota Nero..."**

…

_Tears..._

_Why do I feel these tears falling down upon my face..._

_Everything seems to faint...There's no more pain in this world..._

_But what is with these tears? Ah...Now I see where they're coming from...She's looking down on me like an angel...But why is she crying? Is she crying over me?_

_These tears...they feel so warm..._

_This is the first time...I ever felt Yui's tears..._

_But I failed..._

_You were never meant to shed tears from those beautiful eyes ever again...my Senpai..._

_Sorry Mio...even I could not protect her for our sake..._

_Sorry Ritsu...Sorry Tsumugi...I should have saved you too..._

_Guess I let everyone down in the end huh...?_

…

"AZUSA!-!-!-!" Yui cradled the tiny girl's head in her arms. After bottling up so much grief inside, Yui finally unleashed a torrent of sadness into the dying girl. But not even a flood of tears could bring her back...Nor could it bring any of her friends back.

Tsumugi...

Ritsu...

Mio...

Azusa...

Grauegeräusch was still alive...Half of its body had been taken away by the blast but it was slowly healing itself.

"_**You're the only one who can defeat this Witch Miss Hirasawa...Will you make your wish and become a Magical Girl?"**_

Yui lowered Azusa down to the ground gently brushing away her blood stained hair. As the rain continued hammering down upon her back, Yui faced the Witch with a stern expression...

And as the Witch prepared itself for the final verse of its deadly requiem Yui faced the Incubator with a smile...A smile that would have fitted the airhead brunette like any other day before she was thrown into the world of magic...As if she were still in the clubroom, drinking Tsumugi's tea, laughing at Ritsu and Mio's antics and jamming with Azusa...

She swung her head around to meet him with that smile, and as the thick untamed locks of her brown hair swept past her lips she uttered her ultimate wish...

"_**I...Yui Hirasawa wish to play one last song with my friends!..."**_

* * *

><p><em><strong><strong>__**Yui has made her wish...What will this mean for the world of Witches and Puella Magi if anything at all? Please do not miss the **_final_ **chapter of Mahou Shoujo Keiongakubu Magika!-!-!-!-!**  
><em>


	14. EP13: After school

****_**For the record, I only just watched the final episode of K-ON season 2 today so I would have the last little bit of motivation required to bring you this final chapter...Please enjoy...  
><strong>_

**放課後****... **

"_**I...Yui Hirasawa wish to play one last song with my friends!..."**_

"_**...Is that what you truly want to wish for?"**_

_Yes...That is my wish..._

Grauegeräusch was nearly fully healed, a loud vacuum noise was generating around its body. It was preparing its own melody. A melody of total destruction...

Yui noticed her uniform was being coloured in a dye of pink, her clothes virtually seemed to wipe away into this new form. Her skirt ballooned out with white frills; white gloves and stockings materialised on her hands and feet; ruby red heels were now worn on her feet. Her brunette hair was becoming paler with a hint of milkshake pink.

Whilst the transformation was occurring, Kyuubey began doubting whether his decision to make Yui a magical girl was the right one. _**"She is to be the most powerful of all Magical Girls...But what will she do with all that latent power of hers?"**_

When her transformation was complete. She walked onto the ledge of the building, with a wall of flames providing the rear curtain for one final performance. She felt her hands now holding something – she looked down and noticed a clean and pristine looking Gitah, now decorated with flowers and ribbons tied around the end of the neck, in her possession. "Whuahoah! Look what they did to you Gitah! You look so pretty."

"You're always finding new ways to distract yourself Yui-chan..."

Yui turned back to find Mio in her black and grey magical attire, holding her left handed bass just as though she were about to practise in the clubroom. "I wonder how good your grades would be if you put more attention on those instead eh?"

"Mio-chan!" Yui beamed in joy when she saw her friend once more.

"Hey don't you be forgetting about me airhead!" The loud and eccentric but just as pleasant sounding voice of Ritsu was heard as she appeared in her red dress sitting by her drum kit.

"It's been a while hasn't it Yui?" The soothing voice of Tsumugi was now here. As she wore her own Magical Girl outfit and beret, she hovered her fingers over by her keyboard ready to enter a killer tune.

"Mio-chan! Ricchan! Mugi-chan! You all came back for me." Yui was expressing tears once more, but now she could only express them for the sake of joy and relief. It had been so long since she felt such warm and pleasant tears...It had been so long since she could truly feel happiness.

"The crowd's waiting for us Yui-senpai." With a hand on her shoulder, Yui turned and faced her rhythm counterpart, still clad in her blue armour, Azusa was ready for the final performance.

The Witch was now more furious than ever before. Giant cavities appeared around the grey blob like massive speakers, this would be the ultimate battle of the bands.

Yui gave her friends one last smile before she faced the Witch. "Count us of please Ricchan."

After a few intense seconds, the eccentric drummer clapped her sticks like smashing thunder. "One-two, one-two..."

_~SOMEDAY THE LIGHT OF LOVE IN YOUR EYES_

_WILL TRANSCEND TIME_

_AND CERTAINLY DESTROY ONE_

_OF THE DREAMS OF A WORLD RACING TOWARDS DESTRUCTION...~_

The first verse was already enough to knock a heavy blow to the Witch. With Ritsu's thunderous drumbeats; Tsumugi's elegant keyboard melody; Mio's low bass-line which complimented Azusa's quick guitar plucking...All that was left was Yui's flashy lead and gentle but immensely powerful vocals...

_~NOW THAT YOU'VE DRUNK EVERY OUNCE OF YOUR HESITATION_

_WHAT DO YOU DESIRE?_

_WILL THERE BE A FLEETING TOMORROW_

_FOR THE COURSE OF THIS GREEDY ADMIRATION?...~_

"_**Grauegeräusch is already defeated...Now we can reap an enormous harvest of despair energy...wait a minute-" **_before the sneaky Incubator could relish in the Puella Magi's victory, there was another effect taking place throughout their song. As the soundwaves song trailed across the sky reaching down and embracing all the distraught and once despairing population, Yui entered her final verse...

_~LIKE THE ANCIENT MAGIC_

_I SAW IN MY DREAMS WHEN I WAS YOUNG_

_I WANT TO SEE YOU,_

"**_No what's happening? This was not meant to be part of our contract!" _**As Azusa entered a heavy riff with some high power chords to Tsumugi's increased tempo. The soul gems and grief seeds of all the Magical Girls and Witches inside Grauegeräusch were rising from it's corpse, floating upwards as a wide beam of light emerged from the clouds. These girls souls were now being freed from the eternal despair they had been suffering as a result of their Magical Girl contracts. With Yui's pitch rising for a climax, she continued her song of divinity.

_~SMILING WITH THE POWER TO DESTROY EVEN THE DARK_

_THE COURAGE FROM THE FLOWER THAT WAS PLUCKED_

_LAYS IN MY FRIGHTENED HANDS._

_Soon the light spread across the entire sky, pushing away all the grief-stricken clouds as Yui's vocals reached across the entire earth, her beautiful voice aided by the heartwarming music of her band was reaching out to each and every Magical girl and Witch across the globe, as though Yui were embracing a million souls at once. She liberated them all from their fleeting wishes, saving them from despair and coating the sky in a bright ray of hope_

_~ONLY MY FEELINGS ARE ALL THAT I RELY ON_

"_**NOOOOO! MISS HIRASAWA! IF YOU CONTINUE THIS YOU'LL-"**_

_~MY WISH_

_WILL AWAKEN THE LIGHT!-!-!-!-!...~.~.~.~.~_

"**_AAAGGGGHHHHHH!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!"_ **And with Yui's final note, Kyuubey's head blew apart before his body completely dissolved...The Incubator had underestimated the power of Yui's final wish...He had underestimated the power of one girl's voice...He had underestimated the power of five hearts linked together as one...

...He had underestimated the awesome sounding power of friendship...

As Kyuubey's molecules transferred back into the infinite aether of the universe, he heard the laughter of another girl...A girl of another universal plane...

"_**So you're laughing at me again? You must have known this would happen...I – we were destined to fail even in this alternate time dimension...I suppose, it was your voice who had reached Miss Hirasawa in the end...But one day, we shall find our new harvest! You have chased us out of this universe...but there is an infinite more we can plunder from!"**_

**'''''**

**'''''**

**'''''**

Azusa groaned as she lifted herself off the hard concrete ground. She rubbed her eyes sop she could see clearer, she then recalled the pain of the witches lance spearing through her stomach. But when she felt around there was no more wound.

_I'm...healed?_

"_~This is the least I could do to thank you Azu-nyan...~" _A soothing voice calling from inside her head sparked Azusa to swing her gaze towards the sky. Yui was floating of the ground just a metre above her, in her pink and white dress she seemed to beautiful to really be the same ditzy girl from the clubroom.

"What do you mean Yui-senpai?" Azusa called out to the pink-haired angel.

"_~With my last wish, the power of our song was able to free the souls of every Magical Girl and Witch that ever existed...So now we must depart this world for an eternity of peace.~"_

"But I thought you brought the four of us back to life to stay here forever!" Azusa protested with tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "Isn't that what you wished for?"

The Magical Girl Yui closed her eyes and smiled warmly at those words. _"It would be selfish for me to wish for my friends to come back to life...There are so many other people who have experienced loss and they are like many others whose hearts were being filled with despair...I never wanted to become a Magical Girl so I could take something away from others...I became a Magical Girl so I could offer something to everyone's hearts in return..._

"But now you're leaving me here alone!" Azusa cried out, shaking her head and throwing her teardrops across the ground. "Why can't you at least take me with you?"

She felt Yui's hands embrace her cheeks as she leaned down, and just like a beautiful angel, she leaned pulled her head closer and gave Azusa a gentle kiss on her forehead. _"Because you were a time-clone of Mio, it seems you were never given a true Soul Gem...Therefore I cannot release your __soul and take you with me...But we will all be thinking of you Azu-nyan! So please don't cry..."_

"How can you say that?' Azusa threw herself into the air, trying to catch Yui's arms as she lifted her body towards the heavens, Azusa held back more tears as she reached out her arm, leaning over the edge of the building as she tried to grab Yui's hand, but she was just out of reach. Her soul joining that of Ritsu, Mio and Tsumugi as the four of them ventured to the eternal plain above the clouds.

"YUI-SENPAI PLEASE DON'T GO! I-I... I REALLY LIKED YOU!"

But the sweet and uplifting laughter of Yui would never be heard again.

Yui made her final wish and would become the ultimate sacrifice to free the world of despair.

Her voice would always nurture the people's heart whenever they found themselves in stress.

Though people would never come to know of the tiny school club band named Hokago Tea Time, their songs would unconsciously bring peace and happiness to them all, that was Yui's true gift in the end...And that was what her friends loved about that airhead brunette – who had a crazy sweet-tooth and an easily distractable nature...cherished about her the most...

'''''

ONE YEAR LATER

"~In this huge sky I wanna/ Spread my wings and fly/ Towards the free sky with no sadness/ I wanna flap my wings and soar.~"

The entire crowd stood up in a huge applause for the Light Music Club's final act for the Graduation assembly.

"Look like we were a hit with the crowd." Jun observed by her drumkit.

"Yeah, Azusa' voice was so amazing wasn't it?" Ui beamed as she twirled on the ball of her foot with her own Guitar strapped around her shoulder. "You'll have to tell me one day where you learned to sing like that!"

Azusa looked down at the floor with a soft smile. "Yeah...I'll tell you all one day...She was a very special person..."

"I see. Oh well, we better go back to class and get our graduation certificates of Sawako-sensei." And with Ui's declaration the rest of the band ran over to catchup to their other classmates as they headed out of the assembly hall. "Hurry Azusa-chan!" Ui called out as she headed out the door.

"Um yeah I'll be there in a second guys!" Azusa called back. She turned back towards the band equipment, imagining the five of them were still playing together to this day.

_I think I know why you guys really left me behind...It wasn't because I was some clone or something weird like that..._

"Azusa! What're you waiting for?"

Azusa looked at her reflection in her Mutan, making herself chuckle. "Yeah I'm coming right away guys!"

And as Azusa leapt off the stage and sprinted towards the rest of her group of friends she would vow to maintain the legacy of the Light Music Club.

_Somebody has to feed Ton-chan afterall..._

終わり。。。

And there you have it folks. After nearly six whole months, this X-Over has finally reached its end. I started off well enough with lots of motivation but then I was put down by a lack of reviews and hits. Now I've simply finished it out of obligation, but it has been pretty fun to write – afterall I love both K-ON! And Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Perhaps I might at least inspire somebody w=to write their own X-over for these series or if not that, I hope you all at least enjoyed my story from its start to end. I would love for you to review, I take all your comments into consideration, even the negative ones. I just wish I knew where I might have gone wrong or how I could imrpve for you all next time so please let me know what you honestly thought. Well this is ja ne from me and sayonara to this story. Hope you liked it!


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